Abstract
Vegetable oils are non-toxic and biodegradable and are gaining attention as replacements for toxic antifoam and defoamer formulations in the oil and gas industry. Severe foaming may occur at the water wash section of natural gas treatment units resulting in low gas purification. This study evaluated some vegetable oils’ physical and compositional properties as suitable substitutes in antifoam/defoamer formulations. Vegetable oils were extracted from palm kernel, coconut, soya bean, groundnut, castor nut, tiger nut, pecan nut, and walnut using the Soxhlet extraction method. Extracted oils were analyzed for percentage oil recovery, peroxide value, viscosity, specific gravity, percentage free fatty acid (FFA), iodine value, and saponification value and compared with two commercial defoamers. The results showed that coconut, walnut, and palm kernel gave significantly higher oil recoveries of 54, 52, and 50%, respectively. Percentage FFA in castor oil, pecan oil, and walnut oil was considerably higher at 7.40, 5.80, and 5.2%, respectively. Coconut and palm kernel oil had lower iodine values of 9.54 and 18.85g/100g and saponification values of 54.65 and 72.44mgKOH/g, respectively. The viscosity of palm kernel and coconut oils at 30 °C compared well with one of the commercial defoamers. At 55 °C, palm kernel, coconut, and groundnut oil gave a significantly low viscosity of 5.27, 3.7, and 0.95cSt. The specific gravity and pH of all the oil samples were similar to those of the commercial defoamers. From the analysis of the results, coconut and palm kernel oils were found to have better antifoam and defoamer properties than the other oils. As such, they are suitable for use in antifoam/defoamers formulations.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Eren T (2004). Foam characterization bubble size and texture effects. Dissertation, Middle East Technical University.
Ikoku CU (1992) Natural gas production engineering. Krieger publishing company Malabar, Florida
Jha B, Christiano S, Shah D (2000) Silicone anti-foam performance: correlation with spreading and surfactant monolayer packing. Langmuir 16(24):994
Tarek K, (2015) Anti-foaming agents. First edition, http://tarek.kakhia.org/books_eng/Defoamer.Tarek_kakhia.pdf. Accessed 16 Feburary.2020
Garrett PR (1993) The mode of action of antifoams. In: Garrett PR (ed) In Defoaming: Theory and Industrial Applications, Chapter 1 edn. Marcel Dekker, New York
Owen MJ (1996) Defoamers, vol 7, 4th edn. John Wiley and Sons, New York, Chichester, Brisbane, pp 929–945
Denkov N (2004) Mechanisms of foam destruction by oil-based anti-foams. Langmuir 20(22):9467–9468
Callaghan IC, Gould CM, Reid AJ, Seaton HD (1985) Crude oil foaming problems at the Sullom Voe terminal. J Pet Technol 37(12):2211–2218
Ohimor EO, Erude AO, Onocha O, Oreko BU, Ononiwu PI (2018) Performance evaluation of polydimethylsiloxane-solvent blends as defoamer for crude oil foam. IOP publishing IOP Conf Series: Mater Sci Eng 413:012047. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/413/1/012047
Agaev GA, Kuliev TA (1992) Antifoam composition for amine desulphurization of natural gas - contains tributylphosphate, and additional amyl alcohol and diethyl-disulfide to increase efficiency. SU patent 1 736 550, assigned to Nat Gas Trans Process Inst.
Khoma MI. (1993) Composition of foam-extinguishing agent for drilling solutions – contains waste from production of hydrophilic and hydrophobic aerosil, modified with bi-functional silico-organic compound and diesel oil. SU patent 1 795 977, assigned to Assoc. Ukraine. Surface Chem. Inst.
Canapi EC, Augustin YTV, Moro EA, Pedros E, Bendano MLJ (2005) In: Shaihdi F (ed) Coconut oil in edible oil and fat products: edible oils, Bailey’s industrial oil and fat products. John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, pp 123–147
Che YB, Marina AM (2006) In: Shaihdi F (ed) Medium-chain triglycerol in nutraceutical and specialty lipids and their co-products. Taylor and Francis, Boca Raton, pp 27–56
Berger KG, Noraini I (2005) Formulation of zerotrans fatty acid shortening and margarines and other food fats with products of palm oil. J Am Oil Chem Soc 86:775–782
Norizzah AR, Norsyamimi M, Zaliha O, Nur-Azimah K, Siti MF (2014) Physicochemical properties of palm oil and palm kernel oil blend fractions after interesterification. Int Food Res J 22(4):1390–1395
Oyekale KO, Odutayo OI, Esan EB, Ogunwemimo KO, Denton OA, Bolaji DT (2015) Comparative studies on phytochemical and proximate composition of four morphological distinct segments of the conophor seedlings (Tetracarpidum conopphorum Hutch and Dalziel). Br J Biol Sci 3:91–100
Edem CA, Dosunmu IM, Bassey FI (2009) Determination of proximate composition, ascorbic acid, and heavy metal content of African walnut (Tetracarpidium conophorum). Pak J Nutr 8:225–226. https://doi.org/10.3923/pjn.2009.225.226
Janick J, Paul RE (2008) The encyclopedia of fruits and nuts. Cab International England, Oxfordshire
Crews C, Hough P, Godward J, Brereton P, Lees M, Guiet S, Winkelmann W (2005) Study of the main constituents of some authentic walnut oils. J Agric Food Chem 53:4853–4860
Bamishaiye EI, Bamishaiye OM (2011) Tiger nut: as a plant, its derivatives, and benefits. Afr J Food Agric Nutr Dev 11(5):5157 5170
Ramanjaneyulu AV, Reddy AV, Madhavi A (2013) The impact of sowing date and irrigation regime on Castor (Ricinuscommunis L.) seed yield, oil quality characteristics and fatty acid composition during post rainy season in South India. Ind Crop Prod 44:25–31
Salimon J, Noor DAM, Nazrizawati AT, Firdaus MYM, Noraishah A (2010) Fatty acid composition and physicochemical properties of Malaysian castor bean Ricinus communis L,seed oil. Sains Malaysia 39(5):761–764
Ogunniyi DS (2006) Castor oil. A vital industrial raw material, Biores. Technol 97:1086–1091
Chibor BS, Kiin-Kabari DB, Eke-Ejiofor J (2018) Comparative assessment of the physicochemical properties and fatty acid profile of fluted pumpkin seed oil with some commercial vegetable oils in Rivers State, Nigeria. Res J Food Nutr 2(2):32–40
Latimer JW (2012) Official methods of analysis of the association of analytical chemists. 19th Edition. Washington
ASTM D445 (2009) American society for testing and material, standard test method for kinematic viscosity of transparent and opaque lipids. ASTM International West Conshohockem, West Conshohockem
Onwuka GI (2018) Food analysis and instrumentation. Theory and Practice, 2nd edn. Naphtali Prints (NP), Lagos
Shahidi F (2005) Quality assurance of fats and oils. In: Shahidi F (ed) Bailey’s Industrial Oil and Fat Products: Edible Oils and Fat Products. John Wiley and Sons, Inc, New York, pp 102–123
Chibor BS, Kiin-Kabari DB, Ejiofor J (2017) Physicochemical properties and fatty acid profile of shea butter and fluted pumpkin seed oil, a suitable blend in bakery fat production. Int J Nutr Food Sci 6(3):122–128
CODEX-STAN (2009) CODEX Alimentarius ommission Standard for Named Vegetable Oils, FAO Corporate Document, CODEX STAN 210. https://www.fao.org/docrep/004/y2774e05. Accessed 5 July 2020.
Gordon MD (1993) Fats, fatty foods. In: Ranken MD, Kill RC (eds) Food Industries Manual, 23rd edn. Blackie Academic and Professional, London, pp 179–186
Aremu MO, Ibrahim H, Bamidele TO (2015) Physicochemical characteristics of the oils extracted from some Nigerian plant foods. Chem Process Eng Res 32:22–25
Nikolai DD, Krastanka GM (2000) Antifoaming action of oils. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237572843. Accessed 14 March 2021.
Akusu OM, Obinna-Echem PC, Opurum PC, Chibor BS (2021) Comparative analysis of the physicochemical characteristics, phytochemical components and fatty acid profile of avocado pear (Persea Americana L) pulp and seed oil. Eur J Agric Food Sci 3(1):11–17
Nourrechni H, Teoh BC, Clement LD (1992) Viscosity of vegetable oils and fatty acids. J Am Chem Soc 69:1184–1188
Svarz JJ, Gabel RA (1997) Fatty acid defoamers with improved shelf life. Patents US08/883,026. www.patens.google.com/assignee=nalcon.company. Accessed 12 March 2021.
Amir SK, Hizbullah K, Asma N, Saeed A, Nawshad M, Muhammad B, Farman UK, Syed B, Ihsanullaha KM (2012) Antiwear properties of benzoic acid in bitter rapeseed oil and sesame oil at low and high temperature. Int J Mech Mech Eng IJMME-IJENS 12(6):7–12
Zeng X, Li J, Wu X, Ren T, Liu W (2007) The tribological behaviors of hydroxyl-containing dithiocarbamate-triazine derivatives as additives in rapeseed oil. Tribol Int 405:560–566
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare no competing interests.
Additional information
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ifejika, V.E., Joel, O.F. & Aimikhe, V.J. Characterization of selected plant seed oils as anti-foam agents in natural gas treatment units. Biomass Conv. Bioref. 14, 771–779 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-021-02278-z
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-021-02278-z