SOLUBILITY OF SIMPLE AND MIXED TRIACYLGLYCEROLS IN SUPERCRITICAL CO2

A simple mixture of triacylglycerols (TAGs) was synthesized enzymatically from palmitic acid and oleic acid. The mixture contained tripalmitoylglycerol (PPP), trioleoyl-glycerol (OOO), and various isomers of palmitoyl-dioleoyl-glycerol (POO) and oleoyl-dipalmnitoylglycerol (PPO). The behavior of this TAG mixture in equilibrium with super-critical carbon dioxide (SF-CO2) was studied at 40 and 60-degrees-C between 172 and 310 bar. Generally, the partition coefficients varied inversely with species molecular weight. The solubilities of PPP and OOO in SF-CO2 were determined at the same conditions. PPP was markedly more soluble in SF-CO2 when present in the TAG mixture than as a pure compound.