Science for Mankind- Research Award-2018 Extraction, Characterization and Thermal Analysis of Shorea robusta Seed Oil: A Potential Feedstock for Biofuel Production “Biofuel from Sal Seed Oil”
Team Members
1. Md. Ikramul Hasan, 4th Year, Dept. of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Dhaka (Team Leader)
Email: [email protected] Contact No: 01766385328
2. Md. Muhaiminul Islam, 4th Year, Dept. of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Dhaka Email: [email protected] Contact No: 01521212057
Abstract
Shorea robusta, commonly known as Sal, is the major plant of Sal forest which covers about 10% of the total forest land of Bangladesh. In this study, oil was extracted from the seed (with cover) by conventional soxhlet extraction with n-hexane and ultrasonication technique. Seed without wing was found to contain about 14% oil for 6 hours soxhlet extraction at 50°C and 12% oil for 1 hour ultrasonication at 60°C. Fatty acid composition of the soxhlet extracted oil analyzed by GC-FID detects the presence of Stearic Acid, Oleic Acid, Arachidic Acid and Palmitic Acid at a percentage of 49.38%, 34.69%, 8.56% and 7.35% respectively. Elemental analysis exhibited C=75.87%, H= 39.22%, N= 3.59%, S= 0.078%. Different physico-chemical parameters like acid value, iodine value, saponification value, peroxide value, refractive index, viscosity were also determined. Thermogravimetric analysis of the seed and oil was carried out in presence of air to analyze the combustion behavior and in absence of air to analyze the pyrolysis behavior. The temperature was maintained from room temperature to 600o C. In each analysis, three distinct phases were found in the thermogram. The first phase indicates the removal of moisture from the seed or oil, second phase shows the decomposition of triglycerides or volatile matters and the third phase denotes the removal of non-volatile material. As percentage of oil with seed cover is satisfactory and the seed is quite abundant, Shorea robusta seed oil can be a very promising feedstock for commercial biodiesel production in Bangladesh. Moreover, Sal seed oil can be easily processed to Sal seed butter which can be used as an alternative of cocoa butter in chocolate production and as a raw material for quality soap production with moderate hardness and cleansing property.