Zhou, Nerve2011-03-282011-03-282011-03-28http://hdl.handle.net/10539/9253Crude glycerol, a by product and major drawback of biodiesel, 10 percent by weight, once a valuable product is now considered a waste associated with disposal costs because of salts and methanol impurities. With an exponential increase of the biodiesel producers in South Africa and beyond, excess crude glycerol of concern as its supply exceeds its demand, creating excess glycerol of less value. Although purification is an option, South Africa does not have purification plants and exporting such negatively-valued glycerol is not economically viable. Innovative ways to dispose of crude glycerol are clearly necessary.enThesis