Extraction and Characterization of Oil from Algae

The extraction of oil from wet algae culture, samples of algal species Chlamydomonas algae were collected from waste water at the management science walk path, University of Abuja Permanent site. Oil from algae was extracted using n-Hexane as a solvent. In the Experiment there were three processes involved, the isolation and identification of the algae, the extraction process and the separation process. The algae samples were collected and Oil from the algae was extracted using the soxhlet apparatus by repeated washing with hexane. Results show that at increasing contact time the extracted oil efficiency increases. The physiochemical properties of the oil were compared with the physiochemical properties of the extracted oil. In conclusion, from the results of the composition obtained, the oil was found to have high values of saponification, which makes it good for the production of soap and creams.