Clay Characterization and Optimisation of Bleaching Parameters for Palm Kernel Oil Using Alkaline Activated Clays

T O Salawudeen,B A Akinwande,A O Arinkoola,M O Jimoh

doi:10.4236/jmmce.2014.26060

T O Salawudeen, B A Akinwande + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.4236/jmmce.2014.26060

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Abstract

The optimum bleaching parameters (clay dose and bleaching time) for palm kernel oil were determined using alkaline activated clay locally sourced in Nigerian. Activation was carried out using NaOH and KOH. The raw and activated clay samples were characterized using XRD and XRF. Bleached oil was analyzed for % colour reduction (%CR) and percentage free fatty acid (FFA) content before and after bleaching. Alkaline activation resulted to total dissolution of Mg2+ and Ca2+ ions in the octahedral sheet. The activation also affected the tetrahedral sheet by reducing the % composition of the silica and alumina ion after the modification. The results showed that alkaline activation had significant effect on mineralogical and chemical composition of the clay samples. The optimum bleaching conditions (clay dosage and bleaching time) of 3%/weight of oil and 30 mins resulted in 33.3% CR and %FFA of 2.2. It was discovered that NaOH activated clay resulted to higher %CR while KOH activated clay shows affinity for reduced %FFA but at higher concentration of 5 M. This research has further established that alkaline activated clays are feasible alternative for acid activated clays in vegetable oil bleaching.

Highlights

Bleaching is an important process in vegetable oil refining process
Acid activation process consists of two steps which are substitution of the exchangeable cations by protons and the dissolution of metals ions from the clay structure, by depopulating the octahedral sheet [8]
The authors stated that optimum bleaching time depended on bleaching temperature and the quality of oil. This optimum condition varies depending on the type of oil and clay materials, this study aimed at characterization and optimization of bleaching parameters of Nigeria clay activated with alkalis using Palm Kernel Oil (PKO) as reference vegetable oil

Summary

Introduction

Bleaching is an important process in vegetable oil refining process. It involves the removal of variety of impuri-How to cite this paper: Salawudeen, T.O., Arinkoola, A.O., Jimoh, M.O. and Akinwande, B.A. (2014) Clay Characterization and Optimisation of Bleaching Parameters for Palm Kernel Oil Using Alkaline Activated Clays. Bleaching is an important process in vegetable oil refining process. It involves the removal of variety of impuri-. (2014) Clay Characterization and Optimisation of Bleaching Parameters for Palm Kernel Oil Using Alkaline Activated Clays. In other to enhance this adsorptive property, acid activation of clay is the most commonly used technique. This area of clay modification has received enormous interest from various researchers [2]-[7]. The cost of acid used is relatively high, the need for alternative method of improving clay adsorptive properties that will give us a contaminant free oil

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