PRODUCTIVITY AND CHARACTERISTICS OF JATROPHA´S CRUDE OIL (Jatropha curcas L.) IN PANAMA

Abstract

The research was conducted to evaluate the yield of crude oil extraction of jatropha and its physicochemical characteristics. We used the extraction procedure with mechanical screw press or expeller. The yield was evaluated as a percentage of the oil content in dry seeds at 7% moisture and the oil characteristics were determined by physicochemical analysis of the lipid profile. The results indicate a percentage of average oil content in dry seeds of 25,5%, with an extraction efficiency of 77%. It was estimated that for 1,0 L of crude jatropha oil would require 3,5 kg of dry seeds. The oil density was 0,9084 g ml^-1and the iodine value was 133,4 g I₂/100 g. The content of oleic acid (31,3%) and linoleic acid (30,3%) were detected as dominant fatty acids, whereas palmitic acid and stearic acid were the saturated fatty acids found in jatropha oil.