Recovery of squalene from vegetable oil sources using countercurrent supercritical carbon dioxide extraction

The purification of squalene from residues of the olive oil deodorization process using countercurrent supercritical carbon dioxide extraction was studied. The raw material employed is a by-product obtained after distillation and ethylation of olive oil deodorizer distillates. This by-product contains mainly squalene and fatty acid esters. The Group Contribution Equation of State was employed to simulate the separation process and to design the experimental extractions, which were carried out in an isothermal countercurrent column, without reflux, at 343 K, pressures ranging from 150 to 230 bar and a solvent-to-feed ratio around 13. Satisfactory agreement was found between experimental and calculated yields and phase compositions, obtaining a raffinate product with a squalene concentration up to 90 wt.%. Finally, the thermodynamic model was employed to find out optimal process conditions to enhance squalene recovery, including partial reflux of the extract product and recirculation of the supercritical solvent in a continuous countercurrent extraction column.