Optimisation of Squalene Recovery from Amaranth Oil by Short Path Distillation

Abstract

We aim to determine the optimal conditions for obtaining a higher concentration of squalene (C30H50) with an increased yield from oil extracted from Amaranthus cruentus cultivated in Romania. A central composite experiment design was carried out to study the effect of operating conditions on the squalene concentration and recovery yield using short path distillation at laboratory scale. Among the three variables studied: feed flow rate, evaporator temperature and wiper speed, the most important proved to be evaporator temperature and the flow rate. Using the proposed models, we have identified three sets of values for the mentioned parameters, which ensure either a maximum squalene concentration or the best value for the squalene recovery yield, or an optimum between the maximum concentration and the best yield.