Oil produced from Ghana Shea Nut crop for prospective industrial applications
Enoch Mbawin Alale,
Samuel Kofi Tulashie,
Michael Miyittah,
Emmanuel Boafo Baidoo,
Kingsley Enoch Adukpoh,
Enock Opare Dadzie,
Clement Akonnor Osei,
Bright Komla Gah,
Desmond Acquah,
Philip Agudah Quasi
Affiliations
Enoch Mbawin Alale
Industrial Chemistry Section, Department of Chemistry, School of Physical Sciences, College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Takoradi - Cape Coast Rd, Cape Coast, Central Region P.M.B. University Post Office, Ghana
Samuel Kofi Tulashie
Industrial Chemistry Section, Department of Chemistry, School of Physical Sciences, College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Takoradi - Cape Coast Rd, Cape Coast, Central Region P.M.B. University Post Office, Ghana; Department of Chemical and Renewable Energy Engineering, School of Sustainable Engineering, College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Takoradi - Cape Coast Rd, Cape Coast, Central Region P.M.B. University Post Office, Ghana; Corresponding author. Industrial Chemistry Section, Department of Chemistry, School of Physical Sciences, College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Takoradi - Cape Coast Rd, Cape Coast, Central Region P.M.B. University Post Office, Ghana.
Michael Miyittah
Department of Environmental Science, School of Biological Sciences, College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
Emmanuel Boafo Baidoo
Industrial Chemistry Section, Department of Chemistry, School of Physical Sciences, College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Takoradi - Cape Coast Rd, Cape Coast, Central Region P.M.B. University Post Office, Ghana
Kingsley Enoch Adukpoh
Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ashanti Region, Ghana
Enock Opare Dadzie
Industrial Chemistry Section, Department of Chemistry, School of Physical Sciences, College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Takoradi - Cape Coast Rd, Cape Coast, Central Region P.M.B. University Post Office, Ghana
Clement Akonnor Osei
Industrial Chemistry Section, Department of Chemistry, School of Physical Sciences, College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Takoradi - Cape Coast Rd, Cape Coast, Central Region P.M.B. University Post Office, Ghana
Bright Komla Gah
Industrial Chemistry Section, Department of Chemistry, School of Physical Sciences, College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Takoradi - Cape Coast Rd, Cape Coast, Central Region P.M.B. University Post Office, Ghana
Desmond Acquah
Industrial Chemistry Section, Department of Chemistry, School of Physical Sciences, College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Takoradi - Cape Coast Rd, Cape Coast, Central Region P.M.B. University Post Office, Ghana
Philip Agudah Quasi
Industrial Chemistry Section, Department of Chemistry, School of Physical Sciences, College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Takoradi - Cape Coast Rd, Cape Coast, Central Region P.M.B. University Post Office, Ghana
Though little research has been done, shea nut oil (Shea Butter), is a promising shea product with great potential for use in industrial shea product manufacture. To assess the oil obtained from the shea nuts for personal, commercial, and industrial use, this study focuses on the extraction process, the optimal solvent for extraction, thermodynamics and kinetic studies, and characterization of the oil. Using different solvents as well as extraction temperatures and times, the oil was extracted using the solvent extraction method. Moreover, models of thermodynamics and kinetics were used in examining the Shea nut oil extraction at different durations and temperatures. At the highest temperature of 333 K (at 130min), the highest oil yields of 70.2 % and 59.9 % for n-hexane and petroleum ether, respectively, were obtained, following first order kinetics. For both petroleum ether and n-hexane, the regression coefficient (R2) was 1. For the extraction with n-hexane and petroleum ether, the mass transfer coefficient (Km), activation energy (Ea), entropy change (ΔS), enthalpy change (ΔH), and Gibb's free energy (ΔG) were, respectively, (0.0098 ± 0.0061 and 0.0123 ± 0.0084) min−1, 74.59 kJ mol−1 and 88.65 kJ mol−1, (−236.15 ± 0.16 and −235.63 ± 0.17) J/mol K, (71.88 ± 0.06 and 85.94 ± 0.06) kJ/mol, and (148.75 ± 1.52 and 162.46 ± 1.52) kJ/mol. These values favor an irreversible, forward, endothermic, and spontaneous process. Gas chromatography analysis was used to identify the principal fatty acids in the oil, which include stearic acid (52 %), oleic acid (30 %), and linoleic acid (3 %), as well as various minor fatty acids. The oil's potential bonds and functional groups were identified using Fourier Transform Infrared analysis, and the physicochemical parameters such as the iodine value, peroxide value, acid and free fatty acid values were found to be within acceptable ranges for use in domestic, commercial, and industrial settings.
