Enhancing the oil extraction efficiency from candlenut seeds: a comparative analysis of oil yield from different solvents and adjusting process parameters

Abstract

This study aims to increase the yield of candlenut oil by utilizing solvent extraction methods and identifying the chemical compounds produced. The raw materials used for producing the candlenut oil are candlenut seeds from the protected forest areas around the wetter parts of Uganda. This study adopted an experimental design with a completely randomized design. The independent variable in this project was the amount of solvent used, which was approximately 30g for each solvent. The project aimed to observe improvements in oil extraction from candlenut seeds using different solvents, such as Hexane, Ethanol, and Diethyl ether. This involved a constant extraction time of 4 hours at room temperature, and the experiments with solvents were carried out in duplicates. Using the soxhlet extraction technique with hexane as a solvent at room temperature for 4 hours, the study focused on three factors: extraction time, extraction temperature, and liquid-to-solid (L/S) ratio to optimize extraction conditions. The maximum yield of candlenut oil was 36.70 by hexane as a solvent, while diethyl ether and ethanol yielded average yields of 35.02 and 22.08, respectively. It was observed that the oil yield increased with longer extraction time, higher extraction temperature, and greater L/S ratio.