Supercritical fluid extraction of perillyl alcohol in Korean orange peel

Abstract

A series of experiments for supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) were carried out to extract the perillyl alcohol (POH) from Korean orange peel. The yield of extract from the Korean orange peel powder was investigated under the temperatures of 30-60 degreesC, the pressures of 150-200 bar, and the CO2 flow rates of 1.5-3.5 L/min. It was found that the yield of SFE extract containing POH was obtained as 1% of the dry powder of the orange peel. By GC-analysis of the peel oils obtained by SFE in the experimental ranges, the content of POH was 2.8 x 10(-3) (%, wt.) based on the dry powder, which indicated that SFE was approximately 30 times more efficient than the solvent-extraction method previously reported. The SFE-extracts were further purified by gravity-flow packed column Chromatography to confirm POH in the extracts.