International Science Community Association Research Journal of Chemical Sciences 16 1 2026 02 18 Study on the Yield and Physicochemical Properties of Oils from Ethiopian Castor Seed (Ricinus communis L.) Varieties and Biodiesel Production 24 38 EN Gupta Swaroopa Rani N. 1 Department of Chemistry, Brijlal Biyani Science College, Amravati, Maharashtra India Thakor Subhash B. 1 Shri PHG Municipal Arts and Science College, Gujarat University, Kalol – 382721, Gujarat, India Nyong Aniedi E. 1 Akwa Ibom State University, Department of Chemistry, Physical and Materials Chemistry Unit, P.M.B 1167, Post Code 532111, Ikot Akpaden, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria Obadimu Clement O. 2 Akwa Ibom State University, Department of Chemistry, Physical and Materials Chemistry Unit, P.M.B 1167, Post Code 532111, Ikot Akpaden, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria Alexander Joseph 3 Akwa Ibom State University, Department of Chemistry, Physical and Materials Chemistry Unit, P.M.B 1167, Post Code 532111, Ikot Akpaden, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria George Wisdom 4 Akwa Ibom State University, Department of Chemistry, Physical and Materials Chemistry Unit, P.M.B 1167, Post Code 532111, Ikot Akpaden, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria Udo Godwin J. 5 Akwa Ibom State University, Department of Chemistry, Physical and Materials Chemistry Unit, P.M.B 1167, Post Code 532111, Ikot Akpaden, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria Awaka-Ama Joachim J. 6 Akwa Ibom State University, Department of Chemistry, Physical and Materials Chemistry Unit, P.M.B 1167, Post Code 532111, Ikot Akpaden, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria Girmay Hillary 1 Department of Plant Science, College of Agriculture, Hawassa University, Ethiopia Adane Legesse 2 Department of Chemistry, College of Computational and Natural Science, Hawassa University Tesema Meseret 3 Department of Plant Science, College of Agriculture, Hawassa University, Ethiopia Worku Yishak 4 Department of Food Science, College of Agriculture, Hawassa University, Ethiopia > 2025 10 7 2026 02 18 Castor seed is one of the seeds with an untapped potential for its oil for biofuel production. The aim of this study was to compare the yield and physicochemical characteristics of oils produced from two varieties of Ethiopian castor seed varieties (HIRUY and ABARO) and to evaluate the methyl ester profile of these oils for the production of biofuels. Soxhlet and screw press methods were used with a factorial of 2X2 for the evaluation of the oil yield and the physicochemical properties. This finding showed that the oil yield is significantly influenced by the interaction between the variety and the method of extraction. A higher oil yield (56.693%) was obtained from the HIRUY variety by the Soxhlet extraction method and a lower oil yield (42.06%) was obtained from the ABARO variety by the mechanical extraction method. The GC-MS analysis of the biodiesel showed that methyl ricinoleate is produced by the acid and base transesterification method, yielding yields of 89 and 87 per cent biodiesel from HIRUY and ABARO oil, respectively. The GC-MS analysis of the biodiesel showed that methyl ricinoleate is the maximum composition of methyl ester of fatty acids. For biodiesel produced from oil of the HIRUY and ABARO seed varieties, the yields were 91.58% and 90.92%, respectively. The biodiesel produced from both varieties of castor seeds has a higher content of unsaturated fatty acid methyl esters. The findings of this study showed that the use of HIRUY castor seed oil may be preferable to ABARO castor seed oil for the production of biodiesel in terms of relatively higher oil and biodiesel yields, of acceptable oil quality and of high unsaturated fatty acid methyl ester content. Copyright@ International Science Community Association