Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of essential oils from plants with secretory ducts: Mathematical modelling on the micro-scale

In this study, the supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of essential oils from plants which contain secretory ducts as essential oil reservoirs was investigated and modelled. Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of essential oils from Asteraceae family species, marigold and chamomile, indicated that particle size had no significant influence on the extraction rate in two outermost cases: fine milled plant material and plant material cut to particle length of 5 mm. This confirmed previously reported phenomenon that in some cases particle size had no influence on the rate of supercritical extraction process. In order to explain this behavior, the mathematical model which took into consideration the phenomena occurring on the secretory duct scale, was developed and applied to simulate experimental data of marigold and chamomile supercritical carbon dioxide extraction. Proposed model was also applied to the literature experimental data of fennel fruit supercritical fluid extraction where the same phenomenon had been observed. To obtain information regarding secretory structure, scanning electron microscopy investigation of the plant material was performed. Very good agreement of the model results and experimental data in the case of different plant species, extraction conditions and particle sizes, confirmed the basic hypothesis of the model.