Recovery and purification of hydroxy fatty acids from source oils

Abstract

A process for recovering, purifying and enriching hydroxy fatty acids from source oils. The process comprises the steps of: (a) methylating the source oil to form therein hydroxy fatty acid methyl esters and non-hydroxy fatty acid methyl esters; (b) separating the hydroxy fatty acid methyl esters from the non-hydroxy fatty acid methyl esters with an organic solvent mixture comprising a pentane/hexane and a short-chain alcohol; and (c) separately recovering the hydroxy fatty acid methyl esters and the non-hydroxy fatty acid methyl esters from the organic solvent mixture. Hydroxy fatty acids that can be recovered, purified and enriched with the process include ricinoleic acid, densipolic acid, lesquerolic acid, and auricolic acid. The non-hydroxy fatty acid methyl esters can be recovered, purified and further processed into biodiesel fuels and/or lubricants.

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