European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

ISOLATION OF PHYTOSTEROL FROM PALM FATTY ACID DISTILLATE (PFAD) USING SOXHLET MODIFICATION

Ovalina Sylvia Br. Ginting*, Effendy De Lux Putra, Marline Nainggolan and Ahmad Gazali Sofwan Sinaga

ABSTRACT

Objective: To isolate phytosterol compounds from PFAD to obtain pure isolates. Methods: Saponification was used to separate the sterilized part (polar extract) containing ALB and TAG with unsabbed portions (non-polar extract) containing phytosterol. This non-polar saponification extract was isolated using modified soxhlet with silica gel binder. The identification of isolate purity was conducted using Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) and Gas Chromatography Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS). Results: Saponification results obtained non-polar crude extract (unsabbed portion) with a concentration of 2,683 ppm. The result identification of phytosterol isolate with FT-IR showed the similarity of functional group between phytosterol standard and isolate. However, peak appeared in the isolate at the wave number 1741 cm-1 showing the carbonyl group C=O. Meanwhile, identification using GC-MS showed isolate purity rate was 80% to the standard. The phytosterol content contained in the isolate was 4,035 ppm. Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that the obtained phytosterol isolate had a fairly good purity with a rate of 80%. The method used is also very beneficial because it can save the solvent, increase the amount of results obtained and short in time.

Keywords: Palm Fatty Acid Distillate (PFAD), phytosterol, saponification, soxhlet, FT-IR and GC-MS.