Separation of Saturated and Unsaturated Fatty Acids of Palm Fatty Acid Distilled via Low-temperature Methanol Crystallization

This study aimed to optimize conditions for the separation process of unsaturated fatty acid(USFA) and saturated fatty acid (SFA) from palm fatty acid distilled by using low-temperaturemethanol solvent crystallization method. Several parameters were optimized to improve thesolvent crystallization. The fatty acid composition analysis was carried out using a gaschromatography-flame ionization detector as fatty acid methyl esters. The results showed that ahighpercentage of SFA was found to be more than 95% with the percentage yield of 52%, and USFA was more than 93% with the percentage yield of 48%. This observation was found underthe optimal conditions of which fatty acids-to-methanol ratio of 1: 15 (w/v), the crystallizationtemperature of-15 °C, and the crystallization time of 24 hours, respectively. The composition ofseparated SFA in the solid fraction contained 80% of palmitic acid (C16:0) as a dominantcomponent, 12.5% of stearic acid (C18:0) and 2.5%of myristic acid (C14:0). The compositionof separated USFA in the liquid fraction contained 70.4% of oleic acid (C18:1) as a principalcomponent and 22.6% of linoleic acid (C18:2). The results showed that utilizing methanol as acrystallization solvent was recommended owing to its high efficiency, low cost, stability,availability, the comparative ease of recovery and its ability to form needle-like crystals whichhad good filtering and washing characteristics.