Bleaching of olive pomace oil with Spirulina platensis as an eco-friendly process

Abstract

This study is the first attempt for bleaching of olive pomace oil by Spirulina platensis biomass as a function of contact time (0–180 min), initial pH (2, 3, 4, and 5), biomass value (2, 4, 8, and 12 g/L), and temperature (303, 323, and 343 K) in a batch system. The surface of Spirulina platensis before and after the bleaching of olive pomace oil at pH 2 was characterized by the use of a Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer. The FTIR spectrum of S. platensis indicated that the bleaching of olive pomace oil is based on the binding to amino and anionic groups due to electrostatic attraction. It has been ascertained that the amount of bleaching olive pomace oil is maximal at pH 2 and 303 K as 61.49%. Rapid bleaching of olive pomace oil was obtained during the first 60 min of contact time. Thereafter the increment rate of the bleaching of olive pomace oil was reduced until the equilibrium state. The bleaching of olive pomace oil ascended with the increase in the amount of S. platensis. The bleaching behavior of olive pomace oil was well described by the Logistic model with a high correlation coefficient and low error values. The results indicated that S. platensis has great potential for bleaching of olive-pomace oil as an eco-friendly process.