Ricinoleic Research Articles

Combinatorial metabolic engineering and tolerance evolution of Yarrowia lipolytica for improved γ-decalactone synthesis

This study highlights an effective strategy based on the synergistic complementarity of metabolic engineering and adaptive evolution.First, the chassis strain YL013 was obtained by deleting five acyl-CoA oxidase genes to reduce the degradation of γ-decalactone(GDL). Then, adaptive laboratory evolution with increasing concentrations of γ-decalactone was employed to obtain the strain YL013–250 with increased γ-decalactone tolerance of up to 250 mg/L. Moreover, this strain produced 664.5 mg/L γ-decalactone, representing a 142 % improvement over the parental strain YL013. Furthermore, four candidate fatty acyl-CoA synthetase genes, FAA1, FAA2 FAA3 and FAT1, were modulated using the strong, constitutive TEFin promoter to investigate their roles in GDL production. The results showed that overexpression of FAA1, FAA2 and FAA3 can effectively improve the ability of Yarrowia lipolytica to synthesize GDL using ricinoleic acid as substrate, among which overexpression of FAA1 had the most significant effect on GDL yield. Finally, gene of alcohol acyltransferase (AAT1) from Prunus persica was introduced into Y. lipolytica, leading to a GDL titer of 2.2 g/L, which was a 1.32-fold increase compared with the parental strain without AAT1. Taken together, this study provides a combinatorial strategy to improve GDL production through rational regulation of pathway genes and non-rational adaptive laboratory evolution.

Novel bisphosphonates via castor oil

AbstractHydroxy fatty acids (HFAs) have long been a staple component of feedstock oils with uses ranging from motor oils to food to pharmaceuticals. Castor oil, which contains the HFA ricinoleic acid as its principal component, is the most widely used source of HFA in the world. In addition, bisphosphonates are a functional moiety that has been shown to display a variety of industrial applications, ranging from use in water softeners to osteoporosis drugs, primarily due to their affinity for the calcium ion. We have long been interested in the modification of ricinoleic acid from castor oil to phosphorus derivatives, including α‐hydroxy phosphonates and phosphonic acids, and have now accomplished the synthesis of a family of ricinoleic‐derived bisphosphonates: one that retains the cis alkene found in ricinoleic acid and one where the alkene has undergone hydrogenation. These compounds have been produced in high yields and high purity and the synthesis of these compounds is reported.

Cloning and Functional Verification of Endogenous U6 Promoters for the Establishment of Efficient CRISPR/Cas9-Based Genome Editing in Castor (Ricinus communis).

Castor (Ricinus communis) seeds are rich in a type of hydroxy fatty acid called ricinoleic acid, which is in high demand for the production of plant-based plastics, lubricants, and hydraulic oils. However, the high content of ricin, a toxic protein, in these seeds has restricted further expansion in the area of castor cultivation. Therefore, the development of ricin-free castor is needed. Genome editing technology, although successfully applied in several plant species, is still in the developing stages in castor and awaits the identification of an endogenous U6 promoter with robust function. Here, we searched for U6 small nuclear RNA (snRNA) genes in the castor genome. This led to the identification of six U6 snRNA genes. The promoters of these U6 snRNA genes were cloned, and their function was examined in castor cells using the particle delivery method. The results showed that a U6 promoter length of approximately 300 bp from the transcription start site was sufficient to activate gene expression. This study provides insights into the endogenous castor U6 promoter sequences and outlines a method for verifying the function of U6 promoters in plants using the particle delivery system.

Charakterisierung von Fermentationsaromen mittels gaschromatographischer Techniken

Charakterisierung von Fermentationsaromen mittels gaschromatographischer Techniken

Toxicity of the Hexane Fraction of Fruits and Seeds of Ricinus communis to Caterpillars of the Spodoptera Complex

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of the hexane fraction of the crude extract of the fruits and seeds of Ricinus communis (HFFSRC) on eggs of Spodoptera cosmioides and Spodoptera frugiperda and on caterpillars of Spodoptera eridania, S. frugiperda, and S. cosmioides, under laboratory conditions through topical application and ingestion, as well as to identify the compounds in the hexane fraction through high-performance chromatography (HPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS). To do so, three bioassays were conducted: (1) the effect of HFFSRC at 2% (20,000 mg·mL−1) on eggs of S. cosmioides and S. frugiperda, (2) the lethal effect of HFFSRC at 2% applied topically, and (3) the lethal effect of HFFSRC at 2% applied to soybean-leaf discs on first-, second-, third-, and fourth-instar caterpillars of the three insect species. It was found that 2% HFFSRC had an ovicidal effect on S. frugiperda and S. cosmioides, completely reducing larvae hatching and the insecticidal effect for the four instars of the three insect species when applied topically and on food. Five compounds were identified in the HFFSRC: three flavonoids, one ricinoleic acid, and one cinnamic acid. HFFSRC at 2% had an acute ovicidal and insecticidal effect on caterpillars of the studied species, configuring itself as a potential insecticide.

Heptaldehyde and undecylenic acid production from thermal and thermo-catalytic cracking of castor oil

With the breakdown of ricinoleic acid through the cracking technique, either in the thermal or thermo-catalytic form, compounds of interest for green chemistry, such as heptaldehyde and undecylenic acid, can be obtained. These supplies are envisioned since they are building block chemicals. Therefore, the influence of operational conditions on the cracking process was evaluated using a 2 ³ experimental design, including temperature, water, and catalyst, with the aim of improving the yield of heptaldehyde and undecylenic acid supplies from castor oil, inedible oil. The operating conditions used in the cracking process were: temperature of 500, 525, and 550 °C, water fractions of zero, 12.5%, and 25%, and catalyst fractions of benzoyl peroxide of zero, 0.55%, and 1.1%. The analysis suggests that the central point utilizing thermo-catalytic cracking demonstrates superior operational conditions as they generate an average of 78.5% bio-oil, 21.97% heptaldehyde, and 17.25% undecylenic acid, with 12.5% water and 0.55% catalyst at a temperature of 525 °C.

Experimental and theoretical assessment of phenomena linked with separation and purification of biodiesel from Ricinus communis seed oil

This study investigated the phenomena associated with the separation and purification of biodiesel produced from Ricinus communis oil seeds using experimental and theoretical approaches. The alkaline transesterification technique was used to produce the biodiesel from the Ricinus communis oil seeds which were later compared with standards based on EN and ASTM. Experimental investigation of the components in the mixture for separation and purification was conducted using the standard turbidimetric method for binodal solubility and tie-line compositions. The gas chromatographic technique was used to determine the composition of the homogeneous mixture. Novel components separation and purification of the Ricinus communis seed oil biodiesel was achieved using ternary diagrams highlighting the constituent components of the biodiesel at different temperatures for enhanced separation and purification. At the coexisting extract and raffinate phases, the orientation angle of the component compositions increases as the methanol concentration increases and temperature increases. The analysis of seed oil in terms of its physicochemical properties showed density, refractive index, acid value, and free fatty acid values of 905 kg/m3, 1.486, 0.79 mg KOH/g, and 0.390 mg KOH/g respectively. The fatty acid composition of the seed oil and biodiesel revealed that the major characteristics of the oil and biodiesel were defined by the presence of linoleic acid (C18:2) and a ricinoleic acid hydroxyl group (C18:1, OH) with compositions of approximately 30% and 20% respectively. Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectrometry analysis of the oil and biodiesel showed that the absorption spectrum in terms of the wave number (cm−1) ranged from 1000 to 4000 cm−1 with esters as the main functional group providing the main structural backbone. The presence of different fatty acids leads to lateral homogeneity of the biodiesel molecules which can serve to organize the molecules into discrete domains with different properties for enhanced separation and purification at the investigated temperatures. Optimal separation and purification were achieved at the different temperatures showing the castor oil biodiesel, glycerol, and methanol components system at the prevailing composition, time, and temperatures from the tie-lines and binodal solubility compositions. This approach provides a means for the design of a more efficient separation process for optimal biodiesel purification after production with knowledge of how the components are distributed in the ternary mixture after the transesterification reaction. This, leads to greater efficiency of the process, reducing material and operational costs and eliminating environmental issues linked with the biodiesel production process as the volume of wastewater generated would be hugely eradicated. The findings of this study will be useful in the setting up of a small-to-medium-size biodiesel production facility with improvement in the efficiency of product separation and purification.

Molecular characterization of a new strain of Aspergillus and ricinoleic acid production from castor oil by the fungus

AbstractThe derivatives of castor oil have wide industrial applications. Different strains were isolated that metabolize the castor oil. Among these, Isolate D which was later identified as Aspergillus flavus BU22S was selected for further study. Major metabolite produced by the strain was extracted and identified using mass spectrometry (MS) followed by HPLC analysis. The metabolite was found to be ricinoleic acid. Ricinoleic acid is widely used in polymer industries, cosmetics, pharmaceutical industries, lubricants, and in textiles. The product yield of the selected isolate was studied with different castor oil concentrations under different process conditions. Agitation speed as well as oil concentration were found to have a significant effect on ricinoleic acid production. The best yield, that is, 79.5 g/kg of total oil was obtained at a lower agitation speed. The strain consumed some amount of oil, which can be reduced from 90% to 29% by optimizing the process parameters.

A Novel Microwave Hot Pressing Machine for Production of Fixed Oils from Different Biopolymeric Structured Tissues.

A microwave hot pressing machine (MHPM) was used to heat the colander to produce fixed oils from each of castor, sunflower, rapeseed, and moringa seed and compared them to those obtained using an ordinary electric hot pressing machine (EHPM). The physical properties, namely the moisture content of seed (MCs), the seed content of fixed oil (Scfo), the yield of the main fixed oil (Ymfo), the yield of recovered fixed oil (Yrfo), extraction loss (EL), six Efficiency of fixed oil extraction (Efoe), specific gravity (SGfo), refractive index (RI) as well as chemical properties, namely iodine number (IN), saponification value (SV), acid value (AV), and the yield of fatty acid (Yfa) of the four oils extracted by the MHPM and EHPM were determined. Chemical constituents of the resultant oil were identified using GC/MS after saponification and methylation processes. The Ymfo and SV obtained using the MHPM were higher than those for the EHPM for all four fixed oils studied. On the other hand, each of the SGfo, RI, IN, AV, and pH of the fixed oils did not alter statistically due to changing the heating tool from electric band heaters into a microwave beam. The qualities of the four fixed oils extracted by the MHPM were very encouraging as a pivot of the industrial fixed oil projects compared to the EHPM. The prominent fatty acid of the castor fixed oil was found to be ricinoleic acid, making up 76.41% and 71.99% contents of oils extracted using the MHPM and EHPM, respectively. In addition, the oleic acid was the prominent fatty acid in each of the fixed oils of sunflower, rapeseed, and moringa species, and its yield by using the MHPM was higher than that for the EHPM. The role of microwave irradiation in facilitating fixed oil extrusion from the biopolymeric structured organelles (lipid bodies) was protruded. Since it was confirmed by the present study that using microwave irradiation is simple, facile, more eco-friendly, cost-effective, retains parent quality of oils, and allows for the warming of bigger machines and spaces, we think it will make an industrial revolution in oil extraction field.

Macro peroxide initiators based on autoxidized unsaturated plant oils: Block/graft copolymer conjugates for nanotechnology and biomedical applications

AbstractThe autoxidation of unsaturated fatty acids and their esters is one of the most important reactions in food and biological systems. Autoxidation is a type of reaction between air oxygen and unsaturated plant oils. This reaction starts with a hydrogen abstraction on the methylene group adjacent double bond, leaving a radical onto the carbon atom. Molecular oxygen attacks this radical leading to produce peroxide and hydroperoxide derivatives of the oligomerized unsaturated plant oils. Because peroxide groups thermally cleave to produce free radicals, hydroperoxide derivatives of unsaturated plant oil oligomers can be used in the free radical polymerization of vinyl monomers leading to the related block/graft copolymers. The obtained copolymers combined with the biodegradable natural plant oil gain superior properties such as biodegradability and softness. In this review article, the in vitro autoxidation of well‐known unsaturated plant oils‐soybean oil, linseed oil, and castor oil and some related unsaturated fatty acids‐oleic acid, linoleic acid, and ricinoleic acid was carried out under atmospheric conditions with or without exposing white light. Because the autoxidized unsaturated oil/fatty acids contain peroxide/hydroperoxide groups (they are referred to as macro peroxide initiators) that they are used in the free radical polymerization of vinyl monomers to obtain block/graft copolymers. The improved polymerization conditions, characterization, and applications of the obtained products will be discussed.

Ricinoleic acid-based plasticizer with excellent optical properties for PVC polymers

A bio-based plasticizer, acetylated cyclohexanol acetyl ricinolate (A-CAE) was successfully prepared from ricinoleic acid by esterification, epoxidation, and acetylation. Its structure was verified by FT-IR and 1H NMR, and its plasticizing properties were tested. Subsequently, A-CAE was used to prepare PVC films and compared with commercial plasticizers dioctyl terephthalate (DOTP) and acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC). The tensile test showed the elongation at break of A-CAE-50 was 40.4 % higher than ATBC-50, 77.3 % higher than DOTP-50 respectively; the optical performance indicated that the transmittance of A-CAE-50 was up to 90.5 %, and the Tg of A-CAE-50 was 32.2 °C, showing that the PVC matrix and A-CAE had excellent compatibility; in migration test, A-CAE also showed outstanding extraction resistance. When A-CAE was blended with DOTP to plasticize PVC together, all the films also showed fantastic transmittance and mechanical properties. All in all, which comprehensively showed that A-CAE had excellent properties of plasticized PVC.

Synthesis and characterization of a new biolubricant based on oligoesterification of ricinoleic acid, oxalic acid, and ethylene glycol

Synthesis and characterization of a new biolubricant based on oligoesterification of ricinoleic acid, oxalic acid, and ethylene glycol

Spectroscopic measurement and dielectric relaxation study of vegetable oils

The purpose of the current study is to investigate the qualitative characterization of nine different pure vegetable oil samples using dielectric spectroscopy which is a vastly resourceful and reasoned technique in the temperature range 0 ℃ to 25 ℃. Time-domain reflectometry technique is applied up to the microwave frequencies of 50 GHz for the first time for qualitative characterization of the selected vegetable oil samples with a special focus on the variances of dielectric properties like dielectric permittivity (ε′), dielectric loss (ε″), relaxation time concerning temperature and other physiochemical properties of the vegetable oil specimens.The experimental methodology involves the use of time-domain reflectometry (TDR) measurements up to the scale of 50 GHz done to analyse the aspects like lower and higher scales of values towards the static dielectric permittivity (εs) and relaxation time (τ) (ps) to further meaningfully compare and correlate this values with the fatty acid profiles of each of the nine vegetable oil samples to reason and draw comparative inferences about the quality aspects of vegetable oils. Microwave TDR studies provide an effective, alternate, simple, rapid, and viable way to exercise quality control and actuate data regarding the quality status of vegetable oils. Variances of dielectric permittivity (ε′) concerning dielectric loss (ε″) are graphically interpreted using the Cole Davidson model. The static dielectric permittivity (εs) was further recertified and measured accurately by using a precision LCR meter. Thermodynamic properties of all the nine vegetable oil samples like enthalpy (ΔH) (kJ/mol) and entropy of activation (ΔS) (J/mol ∙ K) are also calculated to further insight the dependence of dielectric properties of these oil samples concerning temperature.This dielectric spectroscopic study affirms the association of the quality aspects of these nine vegetable oil samples with their dielectric properties by providing meaningful correlations, comparatives and concurrencies of dielectric properties concerning the physiochemical properties which are a part of fatty acid profiles of these samples, which is a novel aspect of this study. The Cole-Cole plot underlines the tendency of realignment of dipoles as per the applied field. The complex permittivity spectra indicate the dwindling nature of molecular alignment including a slow decline to average coinciding values depending on the molecular bonding pattern of vegetable oil samples. The activation energy (ΔH) in (kJ/mol) is calculated for all the samples which are indicative of endothermic nature which experimentally proves that high energy is required for rotation of unsaturated oil sample molecules with low relaxation times.The highlight of the current dielectric spectroscopic study is that it conclusively divides the nine vegetable oil samples into two groups based on the dielectric property of relaxation time. The vegetable oil samples with higher relaxation times were measured in ps [soyabean oil (398.5), groundnut oil (412.5), flaxseed oil (318.4), and castor oil (305.3)] and the oil samples with lower relaxation times [safflower oil (37.91), sunflower oil (30.6), walnut oil (22.4) and sesame oil (38.4)] and correlate this dielectric aspect with the aspect extent of the presence of oleic acid: C18H34O2, linoleic acid: C18H32O2, linolenic acid: C18H30O2 and ricinoleic acid C18H34O3 alongside the percentage of unsaturation present in the fatty acid profile of each sample. Saturated fatty profile of coconut oil (percentage of saturation 82.5) with low relaxation time (41.8) ps and its concurrency concerning the extent of percentage presence of lauric acid C12H24O2 (52 ps) myristic acid: C14H28O2 (21 ps) is also correlated. The current dielectric spectroscopic study further highlights and compares the variances of dielectric permittivity of the nine vegetable oils samples with the percentage of unsaturation /saturation to infer upon the correlation with the fatty acid profile of these oil samples.

Roles of Process Parameters on the Ricinoleic Acid Production from Castor Oil by Aspergillus flavus BU22S

Ricinoleic acid is a biobased green chemical industrially produced from castor oil. Microbial conversion is a cleaner and greener approach to ricinoleic acid production from castor oil. These processes should be further optimized for a better yield of the product. Aspergillus flavus BU22S was used to convert castor oil into ricinoleic acid. The strain was isolated and identified by molecular biological techniques. It was found to be effective in the biotransformation of castor oil. The ricinoleic acid production and dry cell weight of the fungus were studied as functions of time. In this study, to increase the yield of ricinoleic acid and decrease the oil loss, which microorganisms utilizes in biomass production, response surface methodology (RSM) has been used for process optimization. The central composite design was used to optimize the predictor variables such as oil concentration (% w/v), glucose concentration (% w/v), and calcium chloride concentration (% w/v) to increase the overall yield of ricinoleic acid. A quadratic model was found to be the best fit to predict the responses of the experimental results. The model suggested that the concentrations of oil, glucose, and calcium chloride should be lower in order to increase the ricinoleic acid yield and minimize the oil loss. The bench scale studies of optimized conditions from RSM were also conducted. The yield of ricinoleic acid in batch and fed-batch culture studies was also compared. The yield of the ricinoleic acid in batch culture was 21.67 g/kg of total oil. The yield of ricinoleic acid in fed-batch culture in the absence of an external air supply was 46.77 g/kg of total oil. In this case, the oil loss was also reduced to only 12%.

Synergistic effects of dodecane-castor oil acid mixture on the flotation responses of low-rank coal: A combined simulation and experimental study

The utilization of an appropriate collector or surfactant is crucial for the beneficiation of low-rank coal. However, in previous studies, the selection of surfactants was primarily based on flotation procedures, which hinders the understanding of the interaction mechanism between surfactant groups and oxygen-containing functional groups at the surface of low-rank coal. In this study, we investigate the flotation of low-rank coal in the presence of a composite collector by using a combined theoretical and experimental approach. The maximum flotation mass recovery achieved was 82.89% using a 3:1 mixture of dodecane and castor oil acid. Fourier-transform infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analyses showed that castor oil acid was effectively adsorbed onto the surface of low-rank coal, enhancing the hydrophobicity of the coal. In addition, the diffusion coefficient of water molecules in the water-composite collector-coal system was greater than that in the dodecane system. Moreover, due to the presence of castor oil acid in the flotation process, the adsorption distance of dodecane and low-rank coal became shorter. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that the diffusion and interaction of surfactant molecules at the interface of low-rank coal particles and water was enhanced because the adsorption of the dodecane-castor oil acid mixture is primarily controlled by hydrogen bonds and electrostatic attraction. Based on these results, a better surfactant for flotation of low-rank coal is also proposed.

Modification of ricinoleic acid based nonisocyanate polyurethane using polyamine containing polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane

AbstractBiomass‐based polymers and their property regulation using functional materials have attracted much interest. In this work, ricinoleic acid‐derived cyclic carbonate was prepared and applied to the synthesis of nonisocyanate polyurethane (NIPU) with aliphatic diamine, in which octa(aminopropyl) polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (OAP‐POSS) was incorporated as polyamine to partially or totally substitutes for the diamine to introduce POSS units into the polymer thus regulating the properties of the resultant material. In the curing process, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR) was used to track the reaction and curing at 50°C for 12 h was found to be sufficient for the polymerization. A series of POSS modified NIPUs were obtained by altering the molar fraction of OAP‐POSS in total amine components and the material with the highest thermal stability, shore hardness and water resistance was accessed with 100% substitution of OAP‐POSS for diamine.

A review on bio-based feedstock, synthesis, and chemical modification to enhance tribological properties of biolubricants

Biolubricants are emerging as an alternate option to petroleum-based lubricants and seeking the attention of researchers worldwide due to their biodegradability, renewability, and non-toxic nature. The presence of various acids such as oleic acid, ricinoleic acid, and linoleic acid enables the conversion of vegetable oil into biolubricants with desired lubricating properties. The addition of nanoparticles may ensure good anti-wear properties and proper viscosity of biolubricants. Transesterification, epoxidation, and estolide formation are the main method of the synthesis of the biolubricants from vegetable oil. This paper reviews the state–of–art development of the biolubricants, vegetable oil as feedstock for the biolubricants, and physico-chemical properties of biolubricants for better lubrication considering the improvement in chemical properties and methods of production. Chemical modification and the use of nanomaterial to improve the quality of the biolubricants have been reviewed in this paper. This paper will provide complete insight into the recent development of biolubricants to researchers working in the field of tribology and lubrication.

Performance evaluation studies of PEG esters as biolubricant base stocks derived from non-edible oil sources via enzymatic esterification

Polyethylene glycol esters (PEGEs) as, environment-friendly biolubricants were produced from different fatty acids derived from plant oils by enzymatic esterification reaction in a solvent-free system using commercially available immobilized Candida antarctica Lipase B (NS 435) biocatalyst. The raw materials used were a 1:1 ratio of oleic acid: linseed oil fatty acid, linseed oil fatty acid: ricinoleic acid, and oleic acid: ricinoleic acid as mixed fatty acids. Enzymatic esterification exhibited around 98.1%, 97.8%, and 98.5% maximum yield for three different PEGEs under the following optimum reaction conditions under vacuum: the molar ratio of mixed fatty acids to polyethylene glycol 200–2:1, reaction time - 4 h, catalyst loading - 10% (w/w), and reaction temperature - 60 °C. This study aimed to improve the thermo-oxidative stability and cold flow behavior of the esterified products. The synthesized esters were confirmed and characterized by acid value, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR), and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The fatty acid composition of PEGEs was determined by GC-FID (Gas Chromatography). Physicochemical properties, thermo-oxidative stability, and friction-reducing properties of the PEGEs were studied thoroughly and compared against conventional petroleum-based lubricants. Results revealed that the plant oil-based biolubricants had good lubricating properties like high flash point, low pour point, high viscosity index, high thermo-oxidative stability, and improved friction-reducing properties compared with petroleum-based hydraulic lube oil. Overall, the data indicated that enzymatically esterified biolubricants have significant potential as ISO VG-32, VG-46, and VG-68 grade biolubricant base stocks for various commercialized industrial applications.

Biodiesel Production from Waste Plant Oil over a Novel Nano-Catalyst of Li-TiO2/Feldspar

A novel Li-impregnated TiO2 catalyst loaded on feldspar mineral (Li-TiO2/feldspar) was synthesized via a wet impregnation method and was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. Using these techniques, it was possible to confirm the catalyst’s structural organization with a high crystallinity. This catalyst was used in the transesterification of five waste plant oils of Citrullus colocynthis (bitter apple), Pongamia pinnata (karanja), Sinapis arvensis (wild mustard), Ricinus communis (castor) and Carthamus oxyacantha (wild safflower). The catalytic tests were performed at temperatures ranging from 40 to 80 °C, employing a variable methanol/ester molar ratio (5:1, 10:1, 15:1, 20:1 and 25:1) and different catalyst concentrations (0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, 2% and 2.5%) relative to the total reactants mass. Conversion of 98.4% of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) was achieved for Pongamia pinnata (karanja). The main fatty acids present in bitter apple, karanja, wild mustard, castor and wild safflower oils were linoleic acid (70.71%), oleic acid (51.92%), erucic acid (41.43%), ricinoleic acid (80.54%) and linoleic acid (75.17%), respectively. Li-TiO2/feldspar produced more than 96% for all the feedstocks. Fuel properties such as iodine value (AV), cetane number (CN), cloud point (CP), iodine value (IV), pour point (PP) and density were within the ranges specified in ASTM D6751.

Liquid-liquid equilibria of water + ethanol + castor oil and the effect of cellulose nanocrystal/Fe3O4 and lignin/Fe3O4 nanoparticles

Castor oil has been proposed as a renewable solvent for the liquid extraction of ethanol from water as an alternative to more traditional energy intensive distillation-based methods. The liquid–liquid equilibrium (LLE) of the ternary system water + ethanol + castor oil was determined at 295.15 K using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Castor oil was herein treated as a pseudo-component with the molecular weight of the triglyceride of ricinoleic acid. The experimental data was fitted to the UNIQUAC and NRTL models to obtain parameters for castor oil, and binary interaction parameters for castor oil/ethanol and castor oil/water pairs. The separation factors and distribution coefficients of water and ethanol were calculated at ethanol concentrations ranging from 2.73 ± 0.35 to 55.8 ± 1.1 wt%, with a high separation factor of 12.7 ± 3.3, and a distribution coefficient of 0.352 ± 0.078, at the lowest ethanol concentration tested. Moreover, iron oxide-coated cellulose nanocrystals (CNC@Fe3O4) and Kraft lignin-coated iron oxide (lignin@Fe3O4) nanoparticles (NPs) were added to the castor oil + water + ethanol mixtures at 0.01 g/g mixture, to investigate the effect of the NPs in altering the LLE of the system. It was found that the NPs had a negligible (<1%) effect on the thermodynamic equilibrium, which opens the possibility of using them in advanced applications such as the magnetically controlled demulsification of stable dispersions generated during liquid–liquid extraction process.