*Edited by Anamaria Berea*

This book is an interdisciplinary effort to understand the evolution of communication from cells to societies, both in living organisms and in non-living ones, such as designed or emergent systems from socio-technological innovations (i.e., digital communication, institutional communication). It aims to provide better understanding of the universal versus contextual patterns of communication that we can potentially classify and identify if we look deeper into the history and evolution of this phenomenon at large. Novel research from a variety of disciplines, such as information theory, biology, linguistics, culture and social science that take a complex perspective is being explored, for an integrated understanding of what communication is at a fundamental level.

Published in London, UK © 2019 IntechOpen © dianaarturovna / iStock

A Complex Systems Perspective of Communication from Cells to Societies

A Complex Systems

Perspective of

Communication

from Cells to Societies

*Edited by Anamaria Berea*


**1. Introduction**

426 Biodiesel – Feedstocks and Processing Technologies

Uthoff S., Broker D., Steinbuchel A., (2009), Current state and perspectives of producing

pp. 551-565, ISSN 1751-7915

biodiesel-like compounds by biotechnology, *Microbial Biotechnology*, Vol. 2, No. 5,

Biodiesel is a petrodiesel substitute composed of a mixture of fatty acid methyl esters obtained by the transesterification of plant oils or animal fats with short chain alcohols such as methanol or ethanol. Despite its natural origin biodiesel is technically fully compatible with petroleum diesel, requiring virtually no changes in the fuel distribution system or the Diesel motor. Its production and use have increased significantly in many countries and are in nascent status in many others. Other advantages of biodiesel compared to petrodiesel are reduction of most exhaust emissions, biodegradability, higher flash point, inherent lubricity and domestic origin (Chang et al., 1996; Romig & Spataru, 1996; Wang et al., 2000).

Literature on the refining of biodiesel is abundant but concentrates almost exclusively on the transesterification steps for transforming fats and oils into esters of short alcohols and fatty acids. In this sense in the last years the most important advances in the reaction technology have been the development of continuous heterogeneous transesterification reactors (Bournay et al., 2005; Portilho et al., 2008) and the design of new robust non-catalytic processes for multifeedstock operation (Saka & Kusdiana, 2001; Saka & Minami, 2009).

In the case of the refining operations downstream and upstream the transesterification reactors the biodiesel literature is however scarce. Two are the reasons for this: (i) Feedstock pretreatment in the case of biodiesel is a mature technology developed decades ago for the production of edible oil. (ii) After natural triglycerides are converted into fatty acid methyl esters, the product mixture needs little chemical adjustment since many properties of these esters are ideal for the functioning of Diesel motors.

Some reports on post-reactor biodiesel refining have dealt with classical and simple techniques of purification, e.g. water washing (Karaosmanoglu et al., 1996). Others have indicated that adsorption technologies are particularly suited for the refining of biodiesel (Yori et al. 2007; Mazzieri et al., 2008; Manuale et al. 2011). In order to elucidate the role of adsorption processes in the refining of biodiesel, this review studies some theoretical and practical aspects related to the functioning, design and operation of adsorbers and their application to the purification of biodiesel product and feedstocks.


**Author details**

A.A. Asanka Udaya Aberathna1 , Dilan Amila Satharasinghe2 , Anura Prasantha Jayasooriya2 , H. Rasika Niranjana Jinadasa3 , Sivabalan Manopriya1 , B.P. Ajith Jayaweera1 , C. Annesly Nandana Fernando4 , W.A. Dammika Vijitha Weerathilake1 , G.A. Prathapasinghe1 , Janitha Abeywickrema Liyanage5 and J.M. Krishanthi Jayarukshi Kumari Premarathne1 \*

1 Department of Livestock and Avian Sciences, Faculty of Livestock, Fisheries and Nutrition, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, Makandura, Sri Lanka

2 Department of Basic Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

3 Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

4 Department of Nano Science Technology, Faculty of Technology, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, Kuliyapitiya, Sri Lanka

5 Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Dalugama, Sri Lanka

\*Address all correspondence to<EMAIL_ADDRESS>
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