PRODUCTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF OIL FROM MELON SEED (Cucumis melo) USING N-HEXANE

Abstract

The up rise in request and various applications of oils promote the search for seed oils that are of high standard to meet up with the increasing rate of its needs worldwide. This research was aimed at the extraction and analyzing the physicochemical characterization of the oil from Cucumis melo. The seed oil of the plant was extracted using solvent (N-Hexane). Standard method was employed in extracting the seed oil of the plant. The parameters of seed oil determined include Physico-chemical properties such as; acid value 12.32 mg KOH/g, peroxide value -2 mEq/Kg, ester value 195.79 mgKOH/g, oil content 25 %, iodine value 0.46 gI2/100g, saponification value 12.6 mgKOH/g, free fatty acid 8.46, Moisture content 0.35, Specific gravity 8.73. These make the oil suitable for use in the industry except in the ink and paint industries because of its non drying property which is due to its low iodine value content.