Response surfaces for solubility of crude soylecithin lipid in super critical carbon dioxide

The solubility of soy lecithin lipids in supercritical CO2 was measured at pressures of 120, 200 and 280 bar and at temperatures of 40, 50 and 60 degr ees C. The effects of temperature and pressure on the solubility of total l ipids were studied by response surface methodology. The response surface eq uation to predict the solubility of total lipids in the above range of pres sure and temperature is: Y=-3.237 + 0.0431* P-7.3 x 10(-5) P-2-0.00011 P*T where Y is the total lipid solubility in g/kg CO2, P is the pressure in bar and T is the temperature in degrees C. The total lipids solubility increas ed with pressure at constant temperature, but decreased with increasing tem perature. The total lipids consisted of a very small phospholipid content c ompared to neutral lipids and glycolipids at all the pressures and temperat ures studied. Optimum search indicated a maximum solubility of total lipids of 1.829 g/kg CO2 at 263 bar and 40 degrees C.