Bleaching of mustard oil with some alternative bleaching agents and acid activated clay.

An attempt was made to study the bleaching ability of some alternative adsorbents like rice husk ash (HC), acid activated rice husk ash (AC), rice husk silica (S), and Al(OH)(3) gel to replace commercial Acid Activated Clay (AAC, like Tonsil Earth: TE) for bleaching of mustard oil. Quantities of AAC used were varied from 0.5 to 2.0 % (w/w). It was used as such and along with commercial activated carbon (0.25-0.75 %, w/w), and laboratory prepared Al(OH)(3) gel, rice husk ash and silica isolated from husk. The results show that quantity of AAC to be used can be reduced to 1.00 to 1.25% (w/w) by using a combination of AAC along with rice husk ash; Al(OH)(3) gel; rice husk silica either by wet bleaching or by conventional bleaching method.