Extraction and Characterization of Oil from Moringa oleifera Using Supercritical CO 2 and Traditional Solvents

Abstract

The present work\rpresents a first characterization of the oil from the Moringa (Moringa oleifera) kernel as a potential\rcandidate for biodiesel production. Moringa is an indigenous tree in the\rYucatan Peninsula in Mexico, where there is a nascent biodiesel industry.\rSeveral extraction methods are compared in terms of the extraction yields,\rincluding solvent extraction (n-hexane\rand ethanol), and supercritical extraction (Sc-CO2). The results are\ralso compared against previ- ously reported data. For supercritical extraction pressures of 200 to 400\rbar and temperatures of 40℃ and 60℃ were tested. Gas Chromatography analysis\rreveals that the main fatty acids in Moringa oil are oleic acid (69%), palmitic\racid (10%), and stearic acid (8%).