ISOLATION AND PURIFICATION OF STEROLS FROM NEUTRALS FRACTION OF TALL OIL PITCH BY DUAL DECANTATION CRYSTALLIZATION

摘要

Isolation of the sterol component of a sterol-rich fraction of saponified tall oil pitch is disclosed. Sterol isolation is accomplished by deriving from the tall oil pitch a sterolrich fraction in a hydrocarbon (preferably heptane) phase at a relatively high temperature (preferably greater than 50 DEG C) to which small amounts of an alcohol solvent, preferably methanol, is added. To the hydrocarbon/alcohol/sterols solution is then added water (preferably of a temperature of at least 25 DEG C, and more preferably, 60-70 DEG C) to result in the formation fo two separate phases. The lower water/alcohol phase is decanted, after which additional water at high temperature (preferably 60 DEG -70 DEG C) is again added to the remaining hydrocarbon phase to result again in an upper hydrocarbon phase and a lower water phase. Upon the decantation of the lower water phase, the remaining upper hydrocarbon phase is cooled to facilitate crystallization of sterols. The sterol crystals are isolated by filtration and then washed with hydrocarbon solvent to result in high yield and high purity.