Fractionation of Bergamot and Lavandin Crude Essential Oils by Solvent Extraction: Phase Equilibrium at 298.2 K

Essential oils are primarily composed of terpenic hydrocarbons and oxygenated compounds, which impart the most pronounced flavors and the best sensory properties, whereas terpenic hydrocarbons tend to decompose when heated or exposed to air, resulting in a loss of sensorial quality. Liquid extraction technology using hydrous ethanol as a solvent can be employed to reduce the amount of terpenic hydrocarbons (deterpenation) in essential oils, thereby improving their quality and shelf life. In this paper, liquid-liquid equilibrium data that have not previously been published concerning systems composed of bergamot and lavandin crude essential oils and hydroalcoholic solvents at 298.2 K are presented. It was observed that an increase in the water content in the solvent leads to a decrease in the extraction of compounds and to an enhancement in the selectivity of the solvent. The bergamot oil exhibited a lower system solubility compared with lavandin oil systems. The experimental equilibrium data were compared to the phase compositions calculated using NRTL and UNIQUAC interaction parameters, which were previously adjusted by Chiyoda et al.(1) {[}J. Chem. Eng. Data 2011, 56, 2362-2370], and the best phase composition description was associated with the bergamot crude essential oil. (AU)