Separation Science and Technology, Vol.52, No.8, 1341-1349, 2017
Optimization of oil extraction from Pitanga (Eugenia uniflora L.) leaves using simplex centroid design
Simplex centroid design (SCD) was employed to optimize the mixing of petroleum ether, n-hexane, methanol and ethanol for the extraction of oil (PLO) from Pitanga (Eugenia uniflora L.) leaves, via Soxhlet extraction. The highest yield (54%) of Pitanga leaf oil (PLO) was obtained with 100% ethanol and the lowest yield (16%) from the mixture of methanol (33.3%)/hexane (33.3%)/ethanol (33.3%). The coefficient of determination (R-2) of the model equation obtained was 0.91, while the adjusted R-2 and predicted R-2 were 0.8729 and 0.951, respectively. The saponification value (S.V.), iodine value, acid value and free fatty acid (FFA) are 35.34 mgKOH/g, 72.97 mgI(2)/g oil, 32.41 and 16.30 mgKOH/g, respectively.