Solubility of triacylglycerols in supercritical carbon dioxide

The solubility of refined corn and sunflower seed oils, babassu (Attalea funifera) and ucuuba (Virola sebifera) fats in supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) were measured in a temperature range from 40 to 80 °C and pressure between 200 and 350 bar. Under working conditions, the values of solubility showed retrograde behavior. Experimental SC-CO2 solubility data were collected from the literature for the following systems: tricaprylin (CCC), trilaurin (LLL), trimyristin (MMM), tripalmitin (PPP), tristearin (SSS), triolein (OOO), blackcurrant seed oil and canola seed oil, and analyzed together with the values obtained in this work. Chrastil's equation was used to correlate the solubility of oils in CO2 as a function of the temperature and density of the SC-CO2. An analysis of the results showed that the parameters of Chrastil's equation could be correlated to the fatty acid composition of the triacylglycerols.