Influence of Microwave Irradiation on Hydrolysis Reaction of Sunflower Oil in Aqueous Emulsion

Abstract

Microwave irradiation (MW) has been widely applied as heating in chemical processing. It offers a clean, convenient and inexpensive method of heating which often results in higher yields and shorter reaction times. Here, we study the microwave heating influence on the hydrolysis of the triglyceride (sunflower oil) in aqueous emulsion catalyzed by using 4-dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid (DBSA). The progress of the hydrolysis reaction was determined by Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The effects of temperature, reaction time and the catalyst nature and concentration on the hydrolysis reaction were investigated. The hydrolysis was carried out at temperatures ranging between 90˚C and 150˚C. The polarity of the reaction medium accelerated this reaction.