TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE EXTRACTION OF OIL FROM APRICOT KERNELS
Keywords:
deep eutectic solvents, green extraction, apricot kernel oil, choline chlorideAbstract
Deep eutectic solvents (DES) are gaining attention as green alternatives to conventional volatile organic solvents for the extraction of natural products. Their ease of preparation from inexpensive, biodegradable components, along with low toxicity and tunable physicochemical properties, makes them promising candidates for designing eco-efficient extraction processes. In this work, four DES systems based on choline chloride (ChCl) as hydrogen bond acceptor and different hydrogen bond donors glycerol, lactic acid, acetic acid, and glucose were synthesized and evaluated as co-solvents with n-hexane for the ultrasonic-assisted extraction of oil from apricot kernels. The DESs were characterized in terms of pH, density (δ), viscosity (μ), and electrical conductivity (σ) to better understand how their physical properties influence extraction performance. Oil extraction experiments demonstrated that the DES composition and its physical properties have a marked impact on extraction efficiency. Under optimized ultrasonic conditions, the use of ChCl:AA (1:2) as a co-solvent with n-hexane yielded the highest oil recovery of 26.62%, surpassing pure n-hexane, which afforded only 24.10% under the same conditions. In contrast, ChCl:GLY (1:2), ChCl:LA (1:2), and ChCl:GLU (2:1) resulted in lower oil yields of 18.95%, 22.23%, and 13.26%, respectively. The superior performance of ChCl:AA is attributed to its combination of relatively low viscosity, and high conductivity, which collectively promote enhanced mass transfer, more efficient cell disruption, and improved solubilization of lipophilic components when assisted by ultrasonic cavitation. Overall, this study highlights the importance of tailoring the physicochemical properties of DES to maximize performance and demonstrates the potential of DES n-hexane systems as green, efficient, and scalable alternatives to conventional solvent based processes for the valorization of apricot kernel oil and other plant derived lipids.
References
Al-Maari, M. A., Hizaddin, H. F., Hayyan, A., & Hadj-Kali, M. K. (2024). Screening deep eutectic solvents as green extractants for oil from plant seeds based on COSMO-RS model. Journal of Molecular Liquids, 393, 123520.
Amiti, B., Lisichkov, K., Kuvendziev, S., Atkovska, K., Jashari, A., & Reka, A. (2024). Extraction of oils from fruit kernels with conventional and innovative methods: A review. Technologica Acta, 17(1), 25–37.
Atanasov, A. G., Zotchev, S. B., & Dirsch, V. M. (2021). Natural products in drug discovery: Advances and opportunities. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, 20, 200–216.
Bangar, S. P., Sharma, N., Mohamed, A. A., & Ozogul, F. (2022). Avocado seed discoveries: Chemical composition, biological potentials, and applications. Foods, 11(24), 4017.
Chibuye, B., Indra, S. S., Luke, C., & Kakoma, M. K. (2023). A review of modern and conventional extraction techniques and their applications for extracting phytochemicals from plants. Scientific African, 19, e01585.
Donno, D., Mellano, M. G., Cerutti, A. K., Prgomet, I., Beccaro, G. L., & Giacalone, G. (2020). Plant foods and underutilized fruits as source of bioactive compounds: A focus on their composition and biological properties. Foods, 9(10), 1450.
Gomes-Araújo, R., de Farias, M. F., da Silva, L. M. R., Lima, V. L. A. G., & Magnani, M. (2021). Bioactive compounds from agricultural residues, their obtaining techniques, and the antimicrobial effect as postharvest additives. International Journal of Food Science, 2021, 9936722.
Hayyan, A., Samyudia, A. V., Hashim, M. A., & Yeow, A. T. H. (2022). Application of deep eutectic solvent as a novel co-solvent for oil extraction from flaxseed using sonoenergy. Industrial Crops and Products, 176, 114242.
Liu, Y., Friesen, J. B., McAlpine, J. B., Lankin, D. C., Chen, S.-N., & Pauli, G. F. (2018). Natural deep eutectic solvents: Properties, applications, and perspectives. Journal of Natural Products, 81(3), 679–691.
Nandasiri, R., Zhang, Q., Ngo, H. H., Guo, W., & Hoang, S. A. (2023). Fruit by-products and their industrial applications for nutritional benefits and health promotion: A comprehensive review. Sustainability, 15(8), 7840.
Poudyal, H., Kumar, S. A., Iyer, A., Waanders, J., Ward, L. C., & Brown, L. (2013). Responses to oleic, linoleic and α-linolenic acids in high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet-induced metabolic syndrome in rats. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 24(7), 1381–1392.
Saini, R. K., Keum, Y.-S., Rengasamy, K. R. R., & Raghavendra, A. S. (2025). Bioactive compounds of agro-industrial by-products. Antioxidants, 14(6), 650.
Vanda, H., Dai, Y., Wilson, E. G., Verpoorte, R., & Choi, Y. H. (2018). Green solvents from ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents to natural deep eutectic solvents. Comptes Rendus Chimie, 21(6), 628–638.
Yu, D., Xue, Z., & Mu, T. (2021). Eutectics: Formation, properties, and applications. Chemical Society Reviews, 50(15), 8596–8638.
ZareNezhad, B., Khoshsima, A., & ShenavaeiZare, T. (2021). Production of biodiesel through nanocatalytic transesterification of extracted oils from halophytic safflower and Salicornia plants in the presence of deep eutectic solvents. Fuel, 302, 121171.
