EXTRACTION OF NEEM OIL (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) USING N-HEXANE AND ETHANOL: STUDIES OF OIL QUALITY, KINETIC AND THERMODYNAMIC

In this experiment, Neem oil extraction from Neem seeds (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) with n-hexane and ethanol are presented. Effects of particle size, temperature and type of solvent on the extraction kinetic and thermodynamic parameters were studied. Results showed that the maximum oil yields were 41.11 % for ethanol and 44.29 % for n-hexane at 50oC, and 0.425-0.71 mm particle size. Based on psycho-chemical characteristics analysis showed that increasing temperature decreased iodine value but caused saponification, acid, and peroxide value became higher, which means higher extraction temperature result on higher oil yield but lower oil quality. The kinetic of neem oil extraction was derived from mass transfer rate equation. It also found that H ∆ is positive, S ∆ is positive, and G ∆ is negative indicating that this process are endotermic, irreversible, and spontaneous