Optimization of production process of epoxidized soybean oil with high oxygen content through response surface methodology

Abstract The epoxidation process of soybean oil (SBO) and peracid produced by 50 wt% hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O ) formic acid (FA) was studied with sulfuric SO 4 as a catalyst. Three reaction parameters, including temperature, FA-to-SBO ratio, H -to-SBO were investigated, along the combined effect on oxirane value (OV). Based response surface methodology (RSM), Box-Behnken design (BBD) used to optimize parameters. According results, calculated OV (7.34%) experimental (7.31%) signifi cantly in agreement. product confi rmed epoxidized (ESO) IR NMR characterization methods. These results demonstrated reliability RSM SBO produce ESO high oxygen content.