Processo simplificado para a produção de concentrado de acidos graxos de cadeia longa (D-003) a partir da cera de cana-de-açucar (Saccharum officinarum L.) / Simplified process to production of concentrated long chain fatty acids from sugar cane wax (Saccharum officinarum L.)

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2010

RESUMO

The sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum L.) wax obtained from filter cake, a byproduct of the sugar and alcohol industries, has attracted great interest due to the large potential for application in various industrial sectors, including the pharmaceutical industry. Brazil is the largest sugar cane producer and sugar exporting country in the world, making it a potential sugar cane wax producer due to the large volume of filter cake available. Sugar cane wax is composed of a mixture of wax esters, triacylglycerols, sterols, long chain fatty acids and alcohols with a high melting point and extremely complex chemical composition, making handling and analysis difficult. It is a source of long-chain aliphatic primary fatty acids which have shown anti-platelet effects, anti-thrombotic and cholesterollowering effects, demonstrated by several studies in animals and humans. This research was conducted to obtain long chain fatty acids concentrate (LCFAC), called D-003, through a simplified process involving three steps: saponification of the wax; extraction with hot anhydrous ethanol and acidulation of fatty acids salts. The yield and purity of the concentrates were evaluated using three different derivatization methods before gas chromatographic analysis. Differences between the methods were detected, but the range of these results provides a prediction of the concentration range of acids and alcohols present in the concentrates. The LCFAC had yield around 40% in comparison to the clarified and purified wax. The concentrate with the highest fatty acids content (38.9%) was extracted 3 times with hot ethanol, using the proportion of saponified wax: ethanol 1:5-1:3-1:3 (w/v). LCFAC using the simplified process proposed is technically viable, but purity depends on the amount of extraction and volume of ethanol used. For the accuracy and safe measurement of concentrated fatty acids the development of an analytical methodology appropriate for this kind of sample is essential

ASSUNTO(S)

saccharum officinarum cera de cana-de-açucar Ácidos graxos torta de filtro sugar cane wax fatty acids filter cake

ACESSO AO ARTIGO

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