Application of ionic liquids as co-solvent for oil extraction from desert date

• Published in: Journal of molecular liquids 2024-12, Vol.415, p.126285, Article 126285
• Main Authors: Hayyan, Adeeb, Abed, Khalid M, Salleh, M. Zulhaziman M., Ng, Yee-Sern, Alanazi, Yousef Mohammed, Saleh, Jehad, Nor, Mohd Roslan Mohd, Azmi, Marliana Nor Shazreen, Ng, Zhen Bin, Wong, Shin Yee, Yong, Jia Xin, Mukhopadhyay, Soumyadeep, Mukherjee, Sumona
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Balanites seed; Extraction; Ionic liquids; Oil; Ultrasound assisted extraction
• ISSN: 0167-7322
• DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2024.126285

[Display omitted] •Highest oil yield (28.67 %) achieved with ethyl acetate as sole solvent, 1:6 seed to solvent ratio, and 50 °C extraction.•1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate improved oil yield by 3–6 % regardless of ionic liquid mass.•Presence of ionic liquid co-solvent lowered extraction temperature while maintaining oil yield.•Extraction followed second-order kinetic model with rate constant of 0.0133  min−1. The extraction of oil from Balanites seed (desert date) using ultrasound-assisted extraction was investigated using organic solvent (ethyl acetate) and ionic liquid as co-solvent. The study found that an optimum oil yield of 28.67 % was obtained using a seed to solvent ratio of 1:6, an extraction temperature of 50 °C and an extraction time of 30 min when ethyl acetate was used as the sole solvent in the extraction system. Different types of ionic liquids as co-solvents were screened in this study and an improvement of oil yield (3–6 %) was observed using 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate. Additionally, the presence of ionic liquid as a co-solvent during the extraction process could achieve a similar oil yield at a lower extraction temperature. This indicates the potential breakdown of the lignocellulosic cell wall of the seed using 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate. The presence of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate as co-solvent can enhance the penetration of the organic solvent into the Balanites seed matrix for oil extraction and can reduce the energy required for the extraction process.