Glycerine (Glycerol) is made from both natural products and by chemical synthesis. The natural product comes from saponification of vegetable oils or animal fats with Caustic Soda, typically for the manufacture of soap. On the market glycerine derived from vegetable oils can command a premium, being eligible to be classified as kosher. Glycerine obtained by this method contains much impurities and must be refined for chemical use such as manufacture of healthcare products. When high purity is required it is preferable to use chemical glycerine made through hydrochlorination of Propylene. Glycerine has become increasingly available as a by-product of biodiesel production, to the point that chemical glycerine plants have been mostly shut. Increasing production of biodiesel is likely to yield increasing amounts of glycerine by-products, so that attention is being given to using it as a chemical feedstock. Process have been developed for the conversion of glycerine to Epichlorohydrin and propanediol. A new biological process to convert glycerine to Methanol is now being assessed.
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