Experiment 3
Isolating Clove Oil from Cloves Using Steam Distillation
CHEM-2123-14
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Fall – 09/26/2019
Emilio Molina
20430928
Abstract:
The main objective of this experiment is to isolate clove oil from cloves by
steam distillation and extraction. So, by using the boiling point of the clove
and the mixture that was used to get the oil from the experiment, it was
possible to complete this laboratory by following the steam distillation
process, which uses condensation with the filter and columns, to be able to
trap any water and ensuring the clove oil is distilled. After having isolated
the oil we will test the prescience of other elements inside the clove oil.
Once the oil appears, it will be accordingly to smell the outcome of the
experiment to truly appreciate, the making of oil.
Introduction:
Components of clove oil, along with many other essential oils, are steam-volatile.
The ability to vaporize readily is enabled by a low boiling point and high vapor
pressure. In this experiment nonpolar cloves are mixed in solution with polar
water to form an immiscible solution. In order to separate the three main
temperature sensitive chemical components from the clove buds steam
distillation was utilized. Steam distillation takes advantage of the unique
properties of water and partial pressure. Water boils at about 100C at
atmospheric pressure which is low enough as to not degrade the compounds of
the essential oil. The essential oil is immiscible with water and will therefore form
a partial pressure that is independent of all other components in the system. The
additional pressure from the immiscible clove oil allows water to reach
atmospheric pressure faster while being heated and will therefore boil at a
temperature slightly below 100C.
As water evaporates it can act as a medium of transportation for the volatile
vapors of the components that have not fully reached the pressure needed to
completely vaporize. Sweeping of the volatile compounds with water as a
medium is a slow process and therefore, the solution must be carried out over a
long period of time. By using stream distillation, one can isolated the essential oils
from cloves though degradation which allows for a simple extraction for further
analysis and identification.
The purpose of this experiment was to isolate the essential oils contained in clove
buds and to analyze its property as an oil substance.
Methods: (Figure 1)
The apparatus shown in Figure 1
was assembled using a 50-mL
round bottom flask as the
distillation pot. The distillation
pot was charged with 5.0 g of
ground cloves. By following the
Laboratory manual, it was
possible to distill the mixture containing the clove. Once all the evaporation of the
clove mixture boiling was done, we proceeded with the purifying process, a
fractioning column was used for the fractioning part of the distillation to increase the
yield of clove mixture to water and hopefully separate the water from the water due
to the difference in the boiling points.
Results and Discussion:
Steam distillation of cloves produced 2.71 % of an oil. We were able to come up
with this percentage by following this formula; 0.136 g
% Recovery = ----------------------------- x 100 = 2.71%
5.007 g
This experiment produced a mixture of oils containing only eugenol, therefore
achieving its purpose of isolating and purifying cloves’ essential oils. The oils were
successfully purified. This yield, combined with the purity of the oils, implies that
the technique was performed successfully. However, if this area were to be
examined for possible improvements, it does seem that manual grinding of the
clove buds may have been a bit oversized. More mechanical grinding or pressing of
the cloves could have resulted in a higher yield and perhaps allowed some of the
less concentrated oils to be detected. Although the % recovery seems very low, the
experiment proceeded as planned. There were no spills or other abnormal physical
losses.
Conclusion and References:
The purpose of this experiment was to learn the techniques of isolation of natural
products. Those techniques will include task like the importance of steam
distillation. In this experiment, it was shown that about 2.71% of an oil could be
recovered from cloves by steam distillation. This oil was identified as eugenol by
comparison of its infrared spectrum with a sample. Steam distillation of cloves
produced 0.136 g of an oil. Our results support the hypothesis, which I can say
that we successfully completed the aim of Isolating Clove Oil from Cloves Using
Steam Distillation.
