Optimisation of solvent extraction of lipid from earthworm powder

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to see the effect of amount of hexane and the length of extraction time for the extraction of lipid from earthworm powder. Lipids were isolated in the Soxhlet apparatus. Factorial design of experiment using Stat-Ease 8.0.1 software was studied as a way to study the effect of the lipid extraction from the earthworm powder. In order to find the significant variables affecting the lipid extraction from earthworm powder, two level factorial designs were introduced to screen out the variable key. The impact of the two factors such as length of extraction time and the amount of solvent (hexane) was studied on the yield of the lipid extracted. The amount of solvents examined were 150ml, 175 ml and 200 ml and the extraction time examined were 7 hours, 8 hours and 9 hours. From the result obtained, the maximum weight of lipid was extracted from the earthworm powder was 16.018 % (w/w) representing 0.16 per gram of lipid at time 9 hours and 200 ml of hexane. But, analysis of variance (ANOVA) results using Stat-Ease 8.0.1 software indicate there was no significant different between the parameter that have been chosen.