Rl. Holliday et al., HYDROLYSIS OF VEGETABLE-OILS IN SUBCRITICAL AND SUPERCRITICAL WATER, Industrial & engineering chemistry research, 36(3), 1997, pp. 932-935
Water, in its subcritical state, can be used as both a solvent and rea
ctant for the hydrolysis of triglycerides. In this study, soybean, lin
seed, and coconut oils were successfully and reproducibly hydrolyzed t
o free fatty acids with water at a density of 0.7 g/mL and temperature
s of 260-280 degrees C. Under these conditions the reaction proceeds q
uickly, with conversion of greater than 97% after 15-20 min. Some geom
etric isomerization of the linolenic acids was observed at reaction te
mperatures as low as 250 degrees C. Reactions carried out at higher te
mperatures and pressures, up to the critical point of water, produced
either/or degradation, pyrolysis, and polymerization, of the oils and
resultant fatty acids.