Brazil: Fuels: Biodiesel

Biodiesel Quality

Some of the early biodiesel specifications are summarized in Table 1 [2931] and Table 2 [2932]. An earlier definition of biodiesel defined it as a fuel consisting of alkyl esters of long chain fatty acids derived from vegetable oils or animal fats (ANP Resolution 37/2005) [2934].

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ANP Resolution 14/2012 [2933] introduced an updated definition of biodiesel as a fuel consisting of alkyl esters of long chain carboxylic acids produced from the transesterification and/or esterification of raw greases or fats of vegetable or animal origin and that meets the specifications in the Technical Regulation No. 4/2012 found in the Annex of ANP Resolution 14/2012. Table 3 outlines the requirements for biodiesel according to this regulation.

In 2014, the specification was updated by ANP Resolution 45/2014 [3123], Table 4. The updated specification established an 8 h oxidation stability that coincided with the start of the B7 mandate (November 1, 2014), tightened the specification on monoglycerides, eliminated the carbon residue limit and took care of a few other housekeeping issues. The specification was updated in 2019 to increase the oxidation stability to 12 h with the start of the transition from B11 to B15 (September 1, 2019) [4423].

In 2023, a new B100 specification was issued, ANP Resolution 920/2023, Table 6 [6726]. Changes from the previous specification included an increase in the oxidation stability limit to 13 h, reductions in the Na+K, Ca+Mg, P and monoglyceride limits, a narrower viscosity range and the introduction of the cold soak filterability as report only.

Biodiesel for Brazil’s federal units must meet the CFPP specifications shown in Table 6 [6726]. For earlier versions of this table, see the applicable resolutions [2933][3123].

Table 1
Specifications for biodiesel B100: ANP Resolution 42/2004 [2931]

Property	Units	Limits	Method
Property	Units	Limits	ABNT NBR	ASTM D	EN/ISO
Appearance	-	Clear & bright	-	-	-
Density @ 20°C	kg/m³	Report¹	7148 14065	1298 4052	-
Kinematic viscosity @ 40°C	mm²/s	Report¹	10441	445	EN ISO 3104
Water & sediment², max.	% vol	0.050	-	2709	-
Total contamination	mg/kg	Report	-	-	EN 12662
Flash point, min.	°C	100.0	14598	93	EN ISO 3679
Ester content	% mass	Report	-	-	EN 14103
Distillation; 90% vol. recovered, max.	°C	360³	-	1160	-
Carbon residue on 100% sample, max.	% mass	0.10	-	4530 189	EN ISO 10370
Sulfated ash, max.	% mass	0.020	9842	874	ISO 3987
Total sulfur	% mass	Report	-	4294 5453	EN ISO 14596
Na + K, max	mg/kg	10	-	-	EN 14108 EN 14109
Ca + Mg	mg/kg	Report	-	-	EN 14538
Phosphorous	mg/kg	Report	-	4951	EN 14107
Copper corrosion, 3h @ 50°C, max.	-	1	14359	130	EN ISO 2160
Cetane number	-	Report	-	613	EN ISO 5165
CFPP, max.	°C	Variable⁴	14747	6371	-
Acid number, max.	mg KOH/g	0.80	14448	664	EN 14104
Free glycerin, max.	% mass	0.02	-	6584⁵	EN 14105⁵ EN 14106⁵
Total glycerin, max.	% mass	0.38	-	6584⁵	EN 14105⁵
Monoglycerides	% mass	Report	-	6584⁵	EN 14105⁵
Diglycerides	% mass	Report	-	6584⁵	EN 14105⁵
Triglycerides	% mass	Report	-	6584⁵	EN 14105⁵
Methanol or ethanol, max.	% mass	0.5	-	-	EN 14110
Iodine number		Report	-	-	EN 14111
Oxidation stability @ 110°C, min	h	6	-	-	EN 14112
Final biodiesel/diesel fuel blend must meet limits shown in Table 1. EN ISO12937 may also be used to quantify the water content. Atmospheric pressure equivalent temperature. Final biodiesel/diesel fuel blend must meet limits shown in Table 6. Not applicable for palm or coconut oil alkyl esters.

Table 2
Specifications for biodiesel B100: ANP Resolution 7/2008 [2932]

Property	Units	Limits	Method
Property	Units	Limits	ABNT NBR	ASTM D	EN/ISO
Appearance	-	Clear & bright¹	-	-	-
Density @ 20°C	kg/m³	850 - 900	7148 14065	1298 4052	-
Kinematic viscosity @ 40°C	mm²/s	3.0 - 6.0	10441	445	EN ISO 3104
Water content², max.	mg/kg	⁵⁰⁰	-	6304	-
Total contamination	mg/kg	24	-	-	EN 12662
Flash point³, min.	°C	100.0	14598	93	EN ISO 3679
Ester content	% mass	96.5	15764	-	EN 14103
Carbon residue on 100% sample, max.	% mass	0.050	15586	4530	-
Sulfated ash, max.	% mass	0.020	6294	874	ISO 3987
Total sulfur, max	% mass	50	15867	5453	EN ISO 20846 EN ISO 20884
Na + K, max	mg/kg	5	15554 15555 15553 15556	-	EN 14108 EN 14109 EN 14538
Ca + Mg, max.	mg/kg	5	15553 15556	-	EN 14538
Phosphorous, max.	mg/kg	10	15553	4951	EN 14107
Copper corrosion, 3h @ 50°C, max.	-	1	14359	130	EN ISO 2160
Cetane number	-	Report	-	613 6890⁴	EN ISO 5165
CFPP, max.	°C	19⁵	14747	6371	EN 116
Acid number, max.	mg KOH/g	0.50	14448	664	EN 14104
Free glycerin, max.	% mass	0.02	15341⁶ 15771	6584⁶	EN 14105⁶ EN 14106⁶
Total glycerin, max.	% mass	0.25	15344	6584⁶	EN 14105⁶
Mono- di- and triglycerides	% mass	Report	-	6584⁶	EN 14105⁶
Methanol or ethanol, max.	% mass	0.20	15343	-	EN 14110
Iodine number	g/100 g	Report	-	-	EN 14111
Oxidation stability @ 110°C, min	h	6	-	-	EN 14112⁶
Clear and free from impurities with the test temperature noted. The limit must be met at the point of production or by the importer. When flash point is in excess of 130°C, the analysis of methanol or ethanol content is not required. Can be used as an alternative to ASTM D613. The maximum limit of 19°C is valid for the South, Southeast, Midwest and Bahia, and should be noted for the other regions. Biodiesel can be delivered with a CFPP temperature above the limit if there is agreement between the parties involved. The specified test methods cannot be used for biodiesel derived only from castor beans. These test methods have not been validated for all raw materials and for biodiesel produced using ethanol.

Table 3
Specifications for biodiesel B100: ANP Resolution 14/2012 [2933]

Property	Units	Limits	Method
Property	Units	Limits	ABNT NBR	ASTM D	EN/ISO
Appearance	-	Clear & bright¹	-	-	-
Density @ 20°C	kg/m³	850 - 900	7148 14065	1298 4052	-
Kinematic viscosity @ 40°C	mm²/s	3.0 - 6.0	10441	445	EN ISO 3104
Water content, max.	mg/kg	^{Footnote 2}	-	6304	-
Total contamination	mg/kg	24	-	-	EN 12662
Flash point³, min.	°C	100.0	14598	93	EN ISO 3679
Ester content	% mass	96.5	15764	-	EN 14103
Carbon residue on 100% sample, max.	% mass	0.050	15586	4530	-
Sulfated ash, max.	% mass	0.020	6294	874	ISO 3987
Total sulfur, max	% mass	10	15867	5453	EN ISO 20846 EN ISO 20884
Na + K, max	mg/kg	5	15554 15555 15553 15556	-	EN 14108 EN 14109 EN 14538
Ca + Mg, max.	mg/kg	5	15553 15556	-	EN 14538
Phosphorous, max.	mg/kg	10	15553	4951	EN 14107
Copper corrosion, 3h @ 50°C, max.	-	1	14359	130	EN ISO 2160
Cetane number	-	Report	-	613 6890⁴	EN ISO 5165
CFPP, max.	°C	[2933]⁵	14747	6371	EN 116
Acid number, max.	mg KOH/g	0.50	14448	664	EN 14104
Free glycerin, max.	% mass	0.02	15341⁶ 15771	6584⁶	EN 14105⁶ EN 14106⁶
Total glycerin⁷, max.	% mass	0.25	15344 15908	6584⁶	EN 14105⁶
Monoglycerides, max.	% mass	0.80	15342⁶ 15344	6584⁶	EN 14105⁶
Diglycerides, max.	% mass	0.20	15342⁶ 15344 15908	6584⁶	EN 14105⁶
Triglycerides, max.	% mass	0.20	15342⁶ 15344 15908	6584⁶	EN 14105⁶
Methanol or ethanol, max.	% mass	0.20	15343	-	EN 14110
Iodine number	g/100 g	Report	-	-	EN 14111
Oxidation stability⁸ @ 110°C, min	h	6	-	-	EN 14112⁶
Clear and free from impurities with the test temperature noted. 380 mg/kg 60 days after publication of the Resolution. 350 mg/kg from January 1 2013 to December 31, 2013. 200 mg/kg from 1 January 2014. When flash point is in excess of 130°C, the analysis of methanol or ethanol content is not required. ASTM D6890 may be used as an alternative method for determining cetane number. For states not included in the table of [2933], the maximum limit is 19°C. These test methods have not been validated for all raw materials and for biodiesel produced using ethanol. For biodiesel originating from predominantly lauric fatty material, test methods ABNT NBR 15908 or ABNT NBR 15344 should be used and a maximum limit of 0.30% by mass applies. The oxidation stability limit must be met throughout the entire supply chain.

Table 4
Specifications for biodiesel B100: ANP Resolution 45/2014 [3123][4423]

Property	Units	Limits	Method
Property	Units	Limits	ABNT NBR	ASTM D	EN/ISO
Appearance	-	Clear & bright¹	-	-	-
Density @ 20°C	kg/m³	850 - 900	7148 14065	1298 4052	EN ISO 3675 EN ISO 12185
Kinematic viscosity @ 40°C	mm²/s	3.0 - 6.0	10441	445	EN ISO 3104
Water content, max.	mg/kg	200.0²	-	6304	EN ISO 12937
Total contamination	mg/kg	24	15995	-	EN 12662⁶
Flash point³, min.	°C	100.0	14598	93	EN ISO 3679
Ester content	% mass	96.5	15764	-	EN 14103⁶
Sulfated ash, max.	% mass	0.020	6294	874	ISO 3987
Total sulfur, max	% mass	10	15867	5453	EN ISO 20846 EN ISO 20884
Na + K, max	mg/kg	5	15554 15555 15553 15556	-	EN 14108⁶ EN 14109⁶ EN 14538⁶
Ca + Mg, max.	mg/kg	5	15553 15556	-	EN 14538⁶
Phosphorous, max.	mg/kg	10	15553	4951	EN 14107⁶ EN 16294⁶
Copper corrosion, 3h @ 50°C, max.	-	1	14359	130	EN ISO 2160
Cetane number	-	Report	-	613 6890⁴	EN ISO 5165
CFPP, max.	°C	[3123]⁵	14747	6371	EN 116
Acid number, max.	mg KOH/g	0.50	14448	664	EN 14104⁶
Free glycerin, max.	% mass	0.02	15771 15908⁶	6584⁶	EN 14105⁶ EN 14106⁶
Total glycerin⁷, max.	% mass	0.25	15344 15908⁶	6584⁶	EN 14105⁶
Monoglycerides, max.	% mass	0.70	15342⁶ 15344 15908⁶	6584⁶	EN 14105⁶
Diglycerides, max.	% mass	0.20	15342⁶ 15344 15908⁶	6584⁶	EN 14105⁶
Triglycerides, max.	% mass	0.20	15342⁶ 15344 15908⁶	6584⁶	EN 14105⁶
Methanol or ethanol, max.	% mass	0.20	15343	-	EN 14110⁶
Iodine number	g/100 g	Report	-	-	EN 14111⁶
Oxidation stability⁸ @ 110°C, min	h	6 - prior to 1.11.2014 8 - 1.11.2014 to 31.8.2019 12 – after 1.9.2019⁹	-	-	EN 14112⁶ EN 15751⁶
Clear and free from impurities with the test temperature noted. In case of dispute, the product can only be regarded as out-of-specification in Appearance if the water content and/or total contamination limits are out of compliance. For purposes of enforcement, fines for non-compliance in Appearance, water content and the total contamination should be applied. The product will fail if at least one of these last two parameters is out of specification. An increase of 50 mg/kg is allowed by the producer and 150 mg/kg by the distributor. When flash point is greater than 130°C, the analysis of methanol or ethanol content is not required. ASTM D6890 may be used as an alternative method for determining cetane number. For states not included in the table of [3123], the maximum limit is 19°C. These test methods have not been validated for all raw materials and for biodiesel produced using ethanol. For biodiesel originating from predominantly lauric fatty material, test methods ABNT NBR 15908 or ABNT NBR 15344 should be used and a maximum limit of 0.30% by mass applies. The oxidation stability limit must be met throughout the entire supply chain. An antioxidant must be used. For further details see [4423].