Yonathan Dagnachew
Debre Markos University, Ethiopia
Title: Extraction and physico-chemical characterization of Cordia africana Lam.wanza seed oil
Biography
Biography: Yonathan Dagnachew
Abstract
The oil yield, the physicochemical and quality characteristics of Cordia africana Lam. seed oils obtained by solvent extraction were determined. In this study, oil was extracted from the seeds of Cordia africana Lam. using normal hexane as extracting solvent. Solvent extraction is known to be the best method of extracting oil from low oil bearing seeds. The method used is aimed at determining the percentage oil yield obtained was 7.2%. Result of the present research indicates that n-hexane can be a better alternative to other solvents. The physical and chemical properties of the extracted oil and shows that the oil was light yellow in colour, liquid with a characteristics smell, had a pH value of 4.10, and refractive index of 1.46825. The oil had density of 0.883 g/cm3, saponification value of 182±0.325 mg/KOH/gram, acid value of 6.73%, free fatty acid value of 3.365%, and peroxide value of 8.16 meq/kg. These results suggest that Cordia africana seeds may be a potentials viable source of oil going by its oil yield and also indicate that the C.africana seed oil can be used as a potential alternative to nutritional food and an important additive in soap making since its properties lies within the standard values of other oils used for that purposes, e.g. sesame oil, lemon grass oil, and alovera.