Fatty acid profile of 25 plant oils and implications for industrial applications

Authors: Moser, Bryan

Submitted to: Annual Meeting and Expo of the American Oil Chemists' Society
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/11/2016
Publication Date: 5/1/2016
Citation: Moser, B.R. 2016. Fatty acid profile of 25 plant oils and implications for industrial applications [abstract]. American Oil Chemists' Society Annual Meeting and Expo. p. 60.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The fatty acid (FA) profiles of plant oils extracted from twenty-five alternative feedstocks were determined. This information was utilized to determine what industrial application(s) each oil is best suited for. The basis for the selection was the premise that FA composition influences properties of industrial products and fuels produced from plant oils. For instance, saturated FAs have high oxidative stability but poor low temperature properties and lack a double bond to perform chemical modification on. Polyunsaturated FAs exhibit the opposite behavior. Monounsaturated FAs strike a balance between oxidative stability, cold flow properties, and chemical functionality. For example, paints, varnishes, and detergents are prepared by chemically modifying vegetable oils enriched in polyunsaturated FAs whereas those containing high amounts of saturated FAs find applications in soaps, cosmetics, and detergents. Biodiesel, lubricants, and plasticizers are typically prepared from vegetable oils containing a high percentage of monounsaturated FAs. A selection matrix based on FA composition is proposed that aids in the determination of industrial and/or fuel applications of vegetable oils. Some of the feedstocks investigated include camelina, field pennycress, Moringa, Osage orange, and seashore mallow seed oils, among others.