Extraction and Characterization of Castor Seed Oil

The present study focuses on the Extraction and Characterization of Castor Seed Oil, purchased from a local market at Ekwulobia in Anambra State. Vegetable oils have attracted a number of interests in recent years. This is traceable to their vast range of applications in different fields of expertise, especially in their consistent use as industrial additives in our production processes. The oils can be extracted from their sources either by means of mechanical pressure, use of solvent or by leaching. The oil that was considered in this study was extracted by the combination of mechanical pressure and the use of solvent (n-hexane). It was then subjected to characterization into series of physicochemical parameters. The oil sample showed very slight acidic property by indication of 6.8 pH value. The mass, density and specific gravity of the oil were found to be 45.47g, 0.9094 and 0.9203 respectively, showing that the oil is less dense than water. Considering the mass of the seed used during the study (1549.15g), 7.8% yield of the oil expression could be seen as being low. The oil has a viscosity of 9.4250poise and a refractive index of 1.4680; the saponification value was found to be 3.37mg/ml, while the iodine value is 80.58mg/ml. Also, the peroxide value was found to be 14.00mg/ml and the acid value was 11.22mg/ml. The low saponification value of the oil indicates its non-suitability for soap production. However, other parameters as discovered of the sample fall within standard specifications for use in industrial applications