EXTRACTION OF OIL FROM COTTON SEED USING N- HEXANE

ABSTRACT This research project is aimed at extracting oil from cotton seed and the subsequent characterization of the oil. This characterization is carried out to distinguish this oil from the locally produced oil. The effects of the solvent type, quantity of solvent, particle size and locality on oil yield are studied. The cotton seed from Kaduna State (Gwarzo) and Kano State (Kara) are collected from Ogbete Main Market. They are even-dried and dehauled by cracking. The size is then reduced using mechanical blender. Sieve trays are used to separate the particles into different sizes and different solvents, n – hexane, acetone and Ethanol the extraction was carried out. After extraction, the Crude oil is made free of solvent by distillation. This method removes significant quantity of solvent. The remaining miscella is oven dried maintaining dissolving temperature between 800C and 1200C. average percentage of this cotton seed oil is 13.67% as against the literature value of 16%. Analysis of the Crude Oil shows the following characteristics Refractive index (1.4695), specific gravity (0.918), Acid value (0.93), saponification value (194.4), iodine value (76.14). These were compared favourably with the literature value specific gravity (0.917 – 0.918) Acid value (0.16 – 0.9), saponification value (194.4 – 196.0) The cotton seeds were compared to see there is effect on seed source on the oil yield. Owing to the fact that the two towns are located in the same hot region despite the fact that they are of different states. Thus for this research project, climatic constraints have negligible effect on seed source. But the solvent type solvent quantity and particle psize have significant effect on oil yield. In terms of solvent, n-hexane has the highest yield and ethanol the least the same time frame, particle size and mass of sample.