Use of Jatropha Seed Oil and Alkali Solution obtained from Its Ash for Soap Making: An Environmentally Friendly and Cost Effective Approach

The present study investigated the potential of Jatropha curcas L. seed oil and lye its ash for soap making. Oil was extracted from the seeds using Soxhlet extractor and n-hexane. Lye solution was obtained by boiling ash of Jatropha with distilled water. The physicochemical properties (saponification value, Iodine value, acid value and peroxide value) of the oil (and its blend with palm oil) were found to be consistent with reported values in literature. The oil content and its relative density were also found to be 31.17% and 0.88g/cm^3, respectively. Soap samples were prepared by treating the oil and the prepared lye solution. Their physicochemical properties (moisture content, total alkali content, total fatty matter, pH, foam ability and cleansing ability) were found to be comparable with reported properties for laundry soaps. The findings indicated that the lye solution from ash of Jatropha and its seed oil result in soap materials that have acceptable qualities.