Implementation of the supercritical CO2 technology for the extraction of candlenut oil as a promising feedstock for biodiesel production: potential and limitations

The demand for renewable energy has risen rapidly due to the depletion of petroleum oil. Biodiesel has attracted potential interest to be utilized as an alternative to petroleum oil since it is produced from renewable resources with minimal environmental impact. However, the production and quality of biodiesel potentially influence several factors including physicochemical properties of lipids, selection of feedstock, and technology utilized for lipids extraction. Candlenut contains the highest amount of oil among the oilseed crops. Supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO(2)) is viewed as an effective alternative method over conventional solvent extraction methods for the extraction and separation of lipids from various plant matrices. The distinct properties of the fluid CO2, such as nonflammability, nontoxicity, environmental friendliness, and its ability to solubilize lipophilic substance led to the wide application of the scCO(2) in various industrial applications. Hence, the present study attempts to review the influence of the supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO(2)) technology for the extraction of lipids from candlenut as a potential feedstock for biodiesel production. The limitations of existing technologies in candlenut oil extraction and the potential scCO(2) technology for the extraction of lipids from candlenut were also reviewed.

Automated summary

The demand for renewable energy has increased due to the depletion of petroleum oil. Biodiesel, produced from renewable resources with minimal environmental impact, is seen as an alternative to petroleum oil. However, the production and quality of biodiesel are influenced by factors such as physicochemical properties of lipids, selection of feedstock, and technology used for extraction.