Microemulsion-based palm kernel oil extraction using mixed surfactant solutions

This study introduces a novel technique using surfactant microemulsion-based oil seed extraction. To achieve this objective, microemulsion formation with palm kernel oil was studied first. Then, the selected microemulsion system was used for palm kernel extraction. The results showed that the mixed surfactant of 3 wt% Comperlan KD and either 0.1 wt% Alfoterra145-5PO or 145-8PO provided an ultralow interfacial tension with the palm kernel oil (0.0197 and 0.0359 mN/m, respectively). By using those two aqueous surfactant systems for palm kernel oil extraction, the extraction efficiency was 93.99 and 94.13% at the optimum crushed kernel size between 0.212 and 0.425 mm, using 1 g seed load to 10 ml of solution and 30 min of contact time. The extracted oil quality was evaluated for water content, fatty acids composition and surfactant partitioning into oil phase. The results showed that the quality of the oil obtained using the surfactant microemulsion-based technique is of similar or better quality than when extracted by hexane solvent.