Abstract

Coconut (Cocos nucifera) oil was extracted with nHexane using Soxhlet apparatus. The Oil recovery was 51.60%. The oil was having a Pale-yellow coloration at room temperature, with a pleasant smell, with a temperature of 250C, Specific Gravity of 0.917, moisture content of 0.2 and refractive index of 1.4458 respectively. The FTIR analysis shows absorption around 2922 cm-1 which indicates the C-H stretch for alkyl. The absorption around 1746 cm-1 indicates the presence of C=O for an aliphatic hydrocarbon. Two absorption bands around 1230 cm-1 and 1159 cm-1 indicate the C-O stretch. The absorption around 3600 – 2550 cm-1 shows the presence of O-H. From the information obtained from the spectrum which shows that the functional groups present is that of esters (Aliphatic). The GCMS identified; 9-Octadecene and Dodecane, Pentadecanoic acid, Hexadecenoic acid, 10,13-Octadecadienoic acid, 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid, trans-13-Octadecenoic acid, 11-Octadecenoic acid, 12-Octadecenoic acid, cis-13-Eicosenoic acid, cis-11-Eicosenoic acid and 11- Eicosenoic acid.