Page 126 - EER-2-2

Explora: Environment
and Resource Microemulsion-based canola oil extraction

Table 1. Representation of (A) the mass fraction retained on different sieves and (B) the mass mean diameter of canola press cake
Section Mesh no. Aperture size (µm) Weight (g) Mass retained (%)
A 5 4000 0 0
10 2000 40.0±2.2 10.0±0.5
18 1000 147.2±2.7 36.8±0.7
30 595 111.6±1.3 27.9±0.3
40 420 22.4±1.4 5.6±0.3
500 25 78.8±1.6 19.7±0.4
Sum 400.0 100.0
Section Average diameter of the particles (µm) Mass retained (%) Diameter (µm) Mass mean diameter (µm)
B 3,000 10.0±0.5 30,000.0 -
1,500 36.8±0.7 55,200.0 -
797.5 27.9±0.3 22,250.2 -
507.5 5.6±0.3 2,842.0 -
222.5 19.7±0.4 4,383.2 -
Total 100.0 114,675.4 1,146.7

Table 2. Formulation of lecithin (Epikuron 135F)‑based microemulsion premix for oil extraction from cooked CSM under a
constant (w/w) CSM: premix ratio of 1:3
# Premix CSM (g) Total Heated
c
a
1‑PrOH (g) Lecithin (g) 1‑PrOH: lec b Water (g) (1‑PrOH: lec):water Weight (g) (60°C, 30 min)
Ratio (w/w) ratio (w/w)
1 1.00 2.00 1:2 3.0 1:1 2.0 8.0 No
2 1.80 1.20 3:2 3.0 1:1 2.0 8.0 No
3 2.40 0.60 4:1 3.0 1:1 2.0 8.0 No
4 0.40 0.80 1:2 4.8 1:4 2.0 8.0 No
5 0.72 0.48 3:2 4.8 1:4 2.0 8.0 No
6 0.96 0.24 4:1 4.8 1:4 2.0 8.0 No
7 1.00 2.00 1:2 3.0 1:1 2.0 8.0 Yes
8 1.80 1.20 3:2 3.0 1:1 2.0 8.0 Yes
9 2.40 0.60 4:1 3.0 1:1 2.0 8.0 Yes
10 0.40 0.80 1:2 4.8 1:4 2.0 8.0 Yes
11 0.72 0.48 3:2 4.8 1:4 2.0 8.0 Yes
12 0.96 0.24 4:1 4.8 1:4 2.0 8.0 Yes
13 7.20 1.80 4:1 9.0 1:1 6.0 24.0 Yes
14 2.82 0.72 4:1 14.4 1:4 6.0 24.0 Yes
15 7.20 1.80 4:1 9.0 1:1 6.0 24.0 Yes
16 2.82 0.72 4:1 14.4 1:4 6.0 24.0 Yes
17 7.20 0.90 8:1 8.1 1:1 5.4 21.6 Yes
18 2.88 0.36 8:1 13.0 1:4 5.4 21.6 Yes
a
c
b
Notes: 1-PrOH: 1-propanol; lec: Lecithin; CSM: Canola seed meal; Premix: Mixture of 1-propanol, lecithin, and water.
In formulations #1 – 6, no significant oil was separated, that lecithin, without a co-surfactant (i.e., 1-propanol
while in their heated counterparts (#7 – 12), three distinct or ethanol), was unable to release any oil from CSM.
phases were formed (Figure 3A), with free oil observed There are two types of low-energy microemulsification
in the supernatant (upper layer). Moreover, it was found methods: Self-emulsification and phase inversion. The

Volume 2 Issue 2 (2025) 5 doi: 10.36922/eer.6562