Separation and Purification Technology, Vol.83, 189-195, 2011
Solubility measurements and analysis of binary, ternary and quaternary systems of palm olein, squalene and oleic acid in supercritical carbon dioxide
Through the application of a dynamic method, the solubility of three lipid components with different volatilities and polarities was measured in supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO(2)). Binary systems of CO(2)/ squalene (SQ), CO(2)/oleic acid (OA) and CO(2)/pseudo-component palm olein (PO) were measured at temperatures of 313,333 and 353 K, and at a pressure range of 10-30 MPa. A ternary system of CO(2)/SQJ PO and a quaternary system of CO(2)/SQ/PO/OA were also investigated at 313 K and pressures of 10-25 MPa. Comparison of the ternary system with the binary system showed a decrease in the solubility of SQ with a corresponding rise in the solubility of PO. In the quaternary system, the presence of OA decreased the selectivity of SQ. The data were correlated using Chrastil's equation in order to examine the general trend of solubility behaviour. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.