Separation of carotenoids from palm oil using ag-treated clays

Abstract

To determine the separation condition of carotenoids from palm oil using ag-treated clay as adsorbents in batch system. Clays used in this experiment were bentonites originated from China and Japan. The Ag-treated clays at different ag types and content in various forms (Ag + form, AgO form, AgCl form and Ag form) were prepared. The factors affecting the adsorption step such as type of ag-treated clays, adsorption time, ratio of clay to palm oil and adsorption temperature were studied. Then, factors affecting the desorption step such as type of eluting solvents and desorption temperature were investigated to determine the optimum condition. The study of factors affecting degradation of beta-carotene extraction with antiolxidant (BHT) were studied for improving recovery of carotene from palm oil. Moreover, regeneration of used clay was studied as a mean of environment protection. Results show that the optimum condition for carotene adsorption on o.5% AgCl-treated bentonite from China (2-steps) which was treated with antioxidant (BHT) at a ratio of 1:5 by weight of clay to palm oil, at 60 ํC for 60 minutes could adsorb 86.82% carotene. The suitable condition of carotene desorption from clay was carried out at room temperature by using tetrahydrofuran as an eluting solvent resulted in 75.76% carotene desorption. From the above conditions, overall carotene recovery from crude palm oil corresponding to 65.77% by weight of carotene in crude palm oil.