ADSORPTION-ISOTHERMS OF SESAME OIL IN A CONCENTRATED MISCELLA SYSTEM

The adsorption of peroxides, unsaturated carbonyls, free fatty acids and carotenoids from unrefined sesame oil on vegetable carbon (5%, w/w) in a miscella system was studied. Three different solvent conditions (hexane/ethanol, 100-0, 95:5 and 75:25, vol/vol), combined in a factorial design with five levels of solvent (0, 10, 20, 30 and 40%, w/w), were used to develop the miscella. Equilibrium adsorption was not achieved during the 100 min of adsorption, mainly because the oil components were involved in oxidation reactions during the adsorption process. However, for a given solvent concentration, adsorption of the oil components showed a significant linear regression on their respective initial concentration in the miscella (C(i)). Peroxides and carbonyls showed, at all solvent levels investigated, an affinity for the carbon more independent of their C(i) than free fatty acids and carotenoids. In general, at the same C(i), a higher adsorption was achieved as solvent concentration increased. The results indicated that free fatty acid adsorption may depend on competitive adsorption based on molecule hydrophobicity. However, in spite of the higher hydrophobicity of carotenoids, compared with free fatty acids, they might not be competing for the same adsorbing sites. Ethanol showed a prooxidant effect that increased peroxide production during adsorption but did not affect the reaction involved in carbonyl production.