A Simplified Method for Fractionation and Analysis of Waxes and Oils from Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) Bran

In the United States, sorghum is primarily used for animal feed and ethanol production but has potential to provide value-added coproducts including waxes and oil. The surface of sorghum contains 0.1-0.4% wax; however, wax extraction from whole kernels before fermentation may not be economical. An alternative method for this extraction could be facilitated through decortication, abrasion of the surface to remove bran. Decortication increases the starch content of decorticated sorghum, potentially improving ethanol yields, while concentrating wax and oil to the bran. Typically, oil (triacylglycerols) and waxes are extracted from bran in one extraction and waxes are precipitated from oil using cold temperatures then filtration. This research compared traditional fractionation (simulated with a two-step, single-temperature extraction) to a two-step, dual-temperature extraction, whereby oil is first extracted at room temperature and then waxes at elevated temperature. Extractions were performed using an accelerated solvent extractor with hexane or ethanol as solvents. Ethanol extraction showed greater yields (similar to 15% w/w) compared to those of hexane (similar to 11% w/w) because polar materials were extracted. Using hexane, the two-step, dual-temperature fractionation separated waxes from oils via the temperature of extraction solvent with similar purity to the traditional method that fractionated via cold precipitation and filtration. For ethanol, the traditional single-step method fractionated with higher wax purity but lower oil purity compared to the two-step, dual-temperature fractionation.