Patent ID: 6248911
Filing Date: 2001-06-19
Classification: C11B

Abstract:
A process for removing trace contaminants from glyceride oils comprising the steps of:contacting a glyceride oil with an adsorbent comprising a xerogel having a gel structure comprising silica and a substituting metal occupying a site of said gel structure previously occupied by an unreacted alkali metal, said xerogel having a pH of at least 7.5, to adsorb at least a portion of said contaminants onto said adsorbent thereby leaving a contaminant-depleted glyceride oil, wherein said xerogel is formed by partial neutralization of an alkali metal silicate solution leaving said unreacted alkali metal and replacement of said unreacted alkali metal by said substituting metal, wherein said alkali metal is selected from the group consisting of sodium and potassium and said substituting metal is selected from the group consisting of magnesium, aluminum, calcium, barium, manganese, and mixtures thereof; andseparating said adsorbent from said contaminant-depleted glyceride oil.