Performance of M-Silicate and M-Polystyrene Sulfonate in Extraction of Carotenoids from Crude Palm Oil

Four polar adsorbents M-Silicates (M = Mg, Ca) and M-PSS (M = Mg, Ca; PSS = Polystyrenesulfonate) have been used to adsorb carotenoids from crude palm oil (CPO). The carotenoids from the adsorbents were desorbed by ethanol in a soxhlet extractor and collected in toluene which was placed together with ethanol in the soxhlet flask. The concentrations of the carotenoids in the aliquots, which were taken every 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 cycles from the toluene extract, was determined by PORIM method. It was found that generally the maximum carotenoids were obtained from the aliquot with 50 cycles. The extraction processes using Mg-silicate, Ca-silicate, Mg-PSS, Ca-PSS gave extract-A, B, C and D. The carotenoids extracted in extract-A, B, C and D was 62.24%, 43.46%, 38.02% and 78.02% respectively. All the extracts still contain free fatty acids (ca 4.47%). In order to reduce the free fatty acid from the extracts, the extract-A, B, C and D were then passed through reused M-Silicates and M-PSS adsorbents. The most carotenoids extracted from the extract were 96.56% from extract-D which had been further adsorb by Ca-silicate. The least was from extract-C which had been further adsorbed by Mg-PSS which was 49.70%. The maximum carotenoids recovery after adsorb extract-D with Ca-silicate was 71.78% and show the lowest free fatty acid content which was 0.3%.