The aim of this project was to produce a potential feedstock for biodiesel by developing a process to extract oil from yellow mustard seeds using aqueous and isopropyl alcohol extraction. The aqueous extraction of yellow mustard flour was performed at pH 11 using 4:1 water to flour ratio and constant stirring at room temperature for 30min, with a second washing stage. Oil was separated as oil-in-water emulsion with 37% oil recovery from the flour. The oil in the emulsion was then extracted with isopropyl alcohol. Single and multiple stage extractions were evaluated and the optimal conditions were four-stage extraction at 2:1 IPA:Oil weight ratio, with 96.3% oil recovery from the emulsion. A preliminary evaluation of the final solution of isopropyl alcohol, water and yellow mustard oil concluded that it is indeed a potential feedstock for biodiesel, however it needs to be further processed to meet optimal conditions for transesterification.

The aim of this project was to produce a potential feedstock for biodiesel by developing a process to extract oil from yellow mustard seeds using aqueous and isopropyl alcohol extraction. The aqueous extraction of yellow mustard flour was performed at pH 11 using 4:1 water to flour ratio and constant stirring at room temperature for 30min, with a second washing stage. Oil was separated as oil-in-water emulsion with 37% oil recovery from the flour. The oil in the emulsion was then extracted with isopropyl alcohol. Single and multiple stage extractions were evaluated and the optimal conditions were four-stage extraction at 2:1 IPA:Oil weight ratio, with 96.3% oil recovery from the emulsion. A preliminary evaluation of the final solution of isopropyl alcohol, water and yellow mustard oil concluded that it is indeed a potential feedstock for biodiesel, however it needs to be further processed to meet optimal conditions for transesterification.