Thyme plants of SE Europe

Resources for Systematic Research and Sustainable Use of Thyme (Thymus L.) plants

Extraction of thyme oil: Comparison between hydrodistillation and supercritical CO2 extraction

Publication Type:Journal Article
Year of Publication:2001
Authors:S. A. Aleksovski, Sovova, H., Poposka, F. A.
Journal:Acta Pharmaceutica
Volume:51
Issue:4
Pagination:305 - 310
Date Published:2001///
Keywords:Carvacrol, Essential oil, Hydrodistillation, L. (Lamiaceae), P-cymene, Supercritical fluid extraction, Thymol, Thymus serpyllum, γ-terpinene
Abstract:

Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) with carbon dioxide and hydrodistillation (HD) were compared as methods to isolate essential oil from thyme herb (Thymus serpyllum, L.). The SFE extraction was performed in a semibatch apparatus and the rate of extraction was found dependent on the extraction pressure and temperature and on the amount of carbon dioxide passed through the extractor. The most suitable conditions for the extraction were 11 MPa and 50°C. The compounds extracted by both SFE and HD were identified by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The difference in the aroma of the products was quite noticeable and can be attributed to qualitative and quantitative differences in the extracts and hydrodistillates. Predominance of aromatic alcohols carvacrol and thymol and their biosynthetic precursors p-cymene and γ-terpinene was revealed in both SFE extracts and HD oil. The SFE extracts also contained water and cuticular waxes; longer extraction times and higher pressures resulted in a higher percentage of water and waxes in the extract.

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Taxonomic name: 
Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith