A one-dimensional and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography study of the oil and the bio-oil of the residual cakes from the seeds of Crambe abyssinica

• First complete chromatographic study of crambe seed oil and bio-oil.
• High predominance of phenols in the extracts.
• GC × GC provides a very good chemical characterization of the samples, mainly through the use of dispersion graphics.

This study is focused on the evaluation of Crambe abyssinica as a source of biofuels and biomass. The vegetable oil (VO) from the seeds and the bio-oil (BO) from the pyrolysis of the residual cakes were characterized by one-dimensional and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography GC/qMS and GC × GC/TOFMS, and many oxygenated compounds were found in both (VO and BO). The VOs were extracted by mechanical pressing as well as Soxhlet extraction and compressed propane extraction procedures, and the compressed propane procedure presented the best results. While the VOs are basically composed of fatty acids (from the glycerides), with a high concentration of erucic and oleic acid, the BO showed a more complex constitution, with phenols, ketones, acids, ethers, esters, hydrocarbons, alcohols and nitrogenated compounds. The large amounts of alkyl phenols, guaiacols, pyridines, indoles and anilines in the bio-oil are interesting to the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. In addition, the presence of a reasonable amount of hydrocarbons also indicated the possible use of BO as an alternative fuel.

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