Quality Testing of Candlenut Oil by Measuring Optical Rotation Using a Polarimeter

Abstract

Polarimeter has the benefit that is to determine the optical rotation. Optical rotation is a magnitude of the playing field of optical polarization of a substance and one example is the optical rotation on oil. Polarimeter with type WXG - 4 has two tubes with a length of each is 10 cm and 20 cm. Polarimeter tube volume is 10 ml and 20 ml. Raw material in oil quality testing using a polarimeter is the candlenut oil. Candlenut oil is a fixed variable used as a substitute for linseed oil, the oil can be used as a paint and varnish, because nature has a more volatile compared with linseed oil, candlenut oil, so one of those volatile oils, while kerosene as a variable changed. Kerosene is the fraction resulting from petroleum processing both physically and chemically. In use, kerosene must have requirements, such as low density, flash point. Kerosene has a boiling point of 175 – 275 °C (350 – 525 oF) to about 795 oC density 15 kg/m3 and having a flash point abel 39 – 43 oC. Candlenut oil used was 10 ml with the addition of kerosene each 5 ml, 7 ml, 9 ml, and 11 ml, 13 ml and 15 ml. The way the test is candlenut oil inserted into the tube and placed in a polarimeter and then observed angle of rotation. Key word : Candlenut oil, polarimeter, optical rotation