ABSTRACT
The quality, efficiency and cleansing abilities of soap can be deduced from their physiochemical properties. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of pure and mixed oil blends on the synthesis and characterization of locally produced bar soap in comparison to locally available commercial soaps. The colour, functional groups and bulk density of groundnut oil (GO) and palm kernel oil (PKO) were analysed. The pure oils (PO:S1, GKO:S7) and oil blends in different ratios (S2-S6) were applied in the synthesis of bar soaps. The colour, texture, hardness, moisture content, solubility, specific gravity, foaming, washing and cleansing abilities of the produced bar soaps were also studied. The results revealed that both oils were liquids at room temperature, had yellow colour variations, and bulk densities of 0.90g/cm3 and 0.92 g/cm3 respectively. The fourier transform infra-red analysis (FT-IR) showed the presence of C-C (alkane), C=O (Carboxyl), O-H(hydroxyl) and C-N (amine) functional groups. Soap production using both pure oils and oil blends were successful. However, soaps produced from oil blends had better physicochemical properties such as, specific gravity, foamability, texture, moisture content, pH and penetrating power when compared to soaps synthesised from pure oils. All soaps produced had no significant variation when compared with the physiochemical properties of commercially available soaps. This study highlights that both pure oils and oil blend produced soap of good quality nevertheless, soaps from oil blends displayed higher standards
|
Authors: Olu-egbor Oseyomon Gabriel , Isah Ailakhue Luqman, Iriafe Faith Aemere, Ikhenhonrio Blessing, Ijiogbe Ofure, Ikponmwoba Abieyuwa
|
Keywords: soap, pure oils, oil blends, alkali, palm kernel, groundnut, commercial soap
|