Application of an aqueous enzymatic–ultrasound cavitation method for the separation of Sapium sebiferum seed kernel oil

An aqueous enzymatic–ultrasound cavitation extraction (AEUCE) method was developed to separate Sapium sebiferum seed kernel oil. In this process, neutral proteinase was screened as the propriate enzyme. The Plackett–Burman and Box–Behnken designs were employed to optimize AEUCE. We determined the optimal extraction conditions, producing an oil yield of 84.22 ± 3.17 %. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis indicated that the S. sebiferum seed kernel oil was abundant in unsaturated fatty acids (>92 %) and that the compositions of the fatty acid profiles extracted by AEUCE were similar to those obtained from Soxhlet extraction, but their contents were slightly different. The physicochemical properties analysis showed that the oil extracted by AEUCE was comparable to that obtained from Soxhlet extraction. The results showed that the developed AEUCE is an efficient technique that can separate high-quality plant oils. The S. sebiferum seed kernel oil obtained from this extraction method is a promising substitute for vegetable oils used in biodiesel production.