Optimasi Reaksi Transesterifikasi Minyak Kelapa Sawit (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) dan Penetapan Kadar Metil Ester Asam Lemak Menggunakan Kromatografi Gas
Authors: Damayanti Sophi , Yuanita Vita , Kartasasmita Rahmana Emran 
Published: July 2022

Indonesia merupakan produsen minyak kelapa sawit (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) terbesar di dunia. Pengolahan menjadi produk turunannya dapat meningkatkan nilai ekonomi minyak kelapa sawit. Salah satu produk turunannya adalah metil ester asam lemak yang memiliki banyak kegunaan dalam industri pangan, farmasi dan kosmetik. Metil ester asam lemak dihasilkan melalui reaksi transesterifikasi minyak kelapa sawit. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menentukan kondisi optimum reaksi transesterifikasi minyak kelapa sawit. Optimasi diamati berdasarkan penetapan kadar metil ester asam lemak secara semikuantitatif menggunakan metode kromatografi gas. Metil ester asam lemak disintesis dari minyak kelapa sawit menggunakan katalis natrium hidroksida dan kalium hidroksida masing-masing pada suhu 40, 50 dan 60 ºC selama 1, 2 dan 3 jam. Metil ester asam lemak yang diperoleh dinetralkan dan dicuci. Baku metil ester asam lemak disintesis dari asam palmitat. Kadar metil ester asam lemak ditentukan menggunakan kromatografi gas dengan kolom DB-Wax 30 m x 0,25 mm, detektor FID, dan kondisi oven pada suhu 50 ºC selama 1 menit, kemudian dinaikkan 25 ºC /menit sampai 200 ºC, lalu dinaikkan kembali 3 ºC /menit sampai 230 ºC dan ditahan selama 18 menit. Kadar asam lemak bebas dari minyak kelapa sawit dan metil ester asam lemak ditentukan dengan metode titrasi. Rata-rata bobot hasil reaksi transesterifikasi menggunakan katalis natrium hidroksida dan kalium hidroksida adalah masing-masing 84,63±2,63 dan 84,25±4,77 g. Rata-rata kadar asam lemak bebas metil ester asam lemak hasil reaksi transesterifikasi menggunakan katalis natrium hidroksida dan kalium hidroksida adalah 0,68±0,03% dan 0,65±0,03 %. Kondisi optimum reaksi transesterifikasi minyak kelapa sawit (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) menggunakan katalis natrium hidroksida dan kalium hidroksida masing-masing adalah pada suhu 60 ºC selama 1 jam, sebesar 34,20% (b/v) dan pada suhu 50 ºC selama 2 jam, sebesar 32,40% (b/v).Kata kunci: Transesterifikasi, minyak kelapa sawit, metil ester asam lemak, kromatografi gas, katalis basa. AbstractIndonesia is the largest producer of crude palm oil (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) in the world. Processing into derived products can increase the economic value of crude palm oil. One of the derived products is the fatty acid methyl esters that have many uses in the food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetic industry. Fatty acid methyl ester is produced through transesterification reaction of crude palm oil. The aim of this research is to obtain the optimum condition of transesterification reaction of crude palm oil. Optimization was observed by the assay of fatty acid methyl esters as semi-quantitative using gas chromatography method. Fatty acid methyl esters were synthesized from crude palm oil using catalysts sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide respectively at 40, 50 and 60 ºC for 1, 2 and 3 hours. The fatty acid methyl esters obtained were neutralized and washed. The standard of fatty acid methyl ester was made by palmitic acid synthesis. The assay of fatty acid methyl esters was carried out using gas chromatography equipped with 30 m x 0,25 mm DB-Wax column, flame ionization detector (FID), using oven temperature at 50 °C, 1 minute, 25 °C /minute to 200 °C, 3 °C /minute to 230 °C, 18 minutes and determination of free fatty acid content from crude palm oil and fatty acid methyl esters. The average mass of the result of the transesterification reaction using sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide as catalyst were 84.63±2.63 and 84.25±4.77 g, respectively. The average of free fatty acid content of fatty acid methyl ester synthesized using sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide as catalyst were 0.68±0.03 % and 0.65±0.03 %. The optimum conditions of the transesterification reaction of crude palm oil (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) using sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide as catalyst were at 60 ºC for 1 hour and at 50 ºC for 2 hours, which were 34.20% (w/v) and 32.40% (w/v), respectively.Keywords: Transesterification, crude palm oil, fatty acid methyl ester, gas chromatography, base catalyst.