EXTRACTION AND ANALYSIS OF ANACARDIC ACID BY INFRARED SPECTROMETRY

Abstract

Anacardic acid was extracted from cashew nuts using anhydrous glycerol at optimum temperature of 140oC. The extraction was performed using self-assembled vacuum operated electrothermal extractor. The surface coating of the extractor beaker was carried out by carbon deposition using an in-house assembled furnace. It offered an optimal yield of 28.79% by weight of cashew nut. Anacardic acid extracts at various temperatures were analysed using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry. Qualitative analysis of the spectra indicated carbonyl ( C=O) at peaks 1643.35cm-1 and 1600.92cm-1. Broad hydroxyl band with overlapping peaks at 3450 cm-1, 3008.95cm-1, 2942.09cm-1 and 2853.72cm-1 indicative of anacardic acid was observed. The quantitative analysis using Nujol mull method, facilitated with the pressurer of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer, Shimadzu (Model: IR affinity – 1S FTIR) of salicylic acid was linear from 3.5908 to 33.6181 molkg-1 (Pearson’s correlation coefficient, R2 equals 0.9795) with sensitivity of 0.002 AU mol-1kg. The technical concentration characteristic of anacardic is 30 ±10 molkg.-1