Óleo das sementes de atemoia: caracterização química, físico-química e produção de biodiesel

Abstract

Atemoya is a hybrid fruit derived from a cross between Annona squamosa L. and Annona cherimola Mill. The atemoya 'Gefner' present in its seeds a total lipid content relatively high, become important characterization of its oil, aiming a useful application for the chemical industry. The objective in this study was to compare, in relation to yield, chemical and physico-chemical characteristics of two extraction methods of the ‘Gefner’ atemoya seeds oil by pressing (physical) and solvent (chemical) using hexane as solvent. Also the biodiesel production from this oil was studied, analyzing methyl esters formed along the transesterification reaction with methanol. The chemical characterization and biodiesel production were monitored by gas chromatography coupled to a mass spectrometer (GC-MS). Hydrogen Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (1H-NMR) was used to evaluate the transesterification reaction of biodiesel. The physical extraction proved to be more economically viable than the chemical, with a lower amount of waste, and did not cause the oxidation of the extracted oil. The different extraction techniques did not interfere significantly in the chemical and physico-chemical characteristics analyzed in the oil, except for the peroxide value. The major fatty acids present in the oil are the oleic, palmitic, stearic and linoleic. It is highlight biodiesel potential, due the methyl esters’ study formed along the transesterification reaction with methanol. It is possible to point out the three major methyl esters formed up to 25 minutes of transesterification reaction, independent of the methods used for oil extraction, currently are similar to others existing biodiesels, showing that the use of ‘Gefner’ atemoya seeds oil as a raw material is a promising source and has a good quality and can be used safely in the biodiesel production.