Abstract

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The leather industries in Nigeria depend largely on imported fatliquors at exorbitant rates and that has affected the leather value chain, to avert this, there is the need to look into our indigenous plants to make this product available. In this light African star apple (Chrysophyllum Albidum) seed was considered for its affordability and availability. The seed was collected and some physico-chemical parameters analysed and presented as follows: Moisture content (18.3%); Saponification value (222.05mgKOH/g); Acid value (3.8mgKOH/g); Free Fatty Acid value (2.54mgKOH/g); Peroxide value (5.5mgKOH/g); Specific gravity (0.90g/cm3); Refractive index (1.3573); Ester value (218.25); Iodine value (28mg/100g of sample); Percentage yield of oil (13%).Some heavy metals of interest such as: Iron, lead and nickel were analysed to ascertain their concentrations in the sample using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). Functional groups present were analysed using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) as follows: -OH; Alkyl group –C-H; -CHO from aldehyde and amide –N-H, alkanes –C=C stretch. Furthermore GC-MS was employed to validate the degree of saturation and unsaturation of fatty acids and alcohols. The GC-MS key results include: Palmitic acid (21.22%), stearic acid (8.08%),tridecanoic (9.94%),tridecenal (2.25%),docosanoic (0.92%); oleic (12%), linoleic (11.91%) and fatty alcohol (palmitoleic 40.40%). Palmitic and stearic acid play important role in the production of fatliquor though surface active agents are needed to lower its viscosity.ChrysophyllumAlbidum can be used in combination with groundnut or castor seed oils because of its low yield (13%) for fatliquor production in the leather industry

Keywords: Chrysophyllum Albidum, oil, Characterization, utilization,