Oil Content and Fatty Acids Composition during Seeds Storage of Two Ecotypes of <i>Jatropha curcas </i>L<i>.</i> from Mali

Abstract

To study the oil contents and fatty acid composition among the samples of Jatropha curcas L. from Mali, the seeds were collected from Katibougou (ecotype I) and Teriyabougou (ecotype II) center. Soxhlet extraction methods were used to determine the oil content of J. curcas seeds. Two different periods were used for various analyses and each analysis was duplicated. The oil concentration ranged in the first and second time of extraction from 62.95±0.24 % to 61.11±.18 % (ecotype I) and 65.9±0.76 % to 65.06±0.36% (ecotype II) respectively. The fatty acid profiles were developed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Sixteen fatty acids were identified in quantifiable amount in the seed oils. Among these, saturated and unsaturated fatty acids were obtained with a predominance of unsaturated fatty acids. The oleic acid and linoleic acid were the dominant fatty acids present in the J. curcas seed oil of Mali. Their ratio (Oleic/Linoleic) varies from 0.87±0.02% to 1.22±0.02% (ecotype I) and 0.82±0.06% to 1.13±0.11% (ecotype II). This ratio possesses a high level of methyl oleate (monounsaturated fatty acid) which might have an excellent effect on biodiesel properties.