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Microwave-Assisted Extraction of Eucalyptus Citriodora Oil and Comparison

with Conventional Hydro Distillation

Article  in  Middle East Journal of Scientific Research · January 2013

DOI: 10.5829/idosi.mejsr.2013.16.05.11890

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Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research 16 (5): 702-705, 2013
ISSN 1990-9233
© IDOSI Publications, 2013
DOI: 10.5829/idosi.mejsr.2013.16.05.11890

Microwave-Assisted Extraction of Eucalyptus Citriodora Oil and

Comparison with Conventional Hydro Distillation

Deepak Gupta, Mumtaj Shah and Prashant shrivastav

Department of Chemical Engineering,

SOET, ITM University, Gwalior, India

Abstract: Microwave-assisted hydro distillation MAHD of eucalyptus citriodora. oil was investigated and a
comparison was made with conventional hydro distillation. For MAHD, three process parameters; Microwave
power, Extraction time and duration of dryness of sample were selected for the extraction. MAHD resulted in
a shorter extraction time and better quality of oil compared to that in conventional hydro distillation. Maximum
yield of 1.2% (w/w) was obtained at higher power level and from HD; the yield was 0.91% (w/w) for 3 hours of
extraction time. Longer extraction time was resulted in polymerization of oil in MAHD.

Key words: MAHD Hydro distillation Extraction Essential oil Eucalyptus oil

INTRODUCTION used to soothe or treat nausa, vomiting, abdominal pain,

indigestion, irritable bowel and blotting. It is also used un
Essential oils are volatile, natural base products, aroma therapy [6-7]. essential oil extract from eucalyptus
which are found in spices, aromatic and medicinal plants. in India 30-40 tones of oil per year [8].
The Extraction of essential oils is well known from old Steam distillation is the primary method to extract the
ages when pure essential oil and crude extract of essential eucalyptus essential oil for commercial product[9]; many
oil bearing plants, herbs and grasses were in use for other methods can be used for extraction of essential oils
various medicinal and fragrances, flavors, preservatives from eucalyptus, e.g. hydro-distillation (HD), Supercritical
and insect repellents purposes [1, 2]. fluid extraction, solvent extraction, sox let, supercritical
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering tree and water extraction and direct thermal desorption[10, 11].
shrubs including a distinct group with a multiple-stem However these essential oil compounds are thermally
melee growth habit in myrtle family, myrtaceae. Botanical sensitive and vulnerable to chemical changes. These
name eucalyptus citriodora, member of the genus extraction methods may result in losses of some volatile
dominate the tree flora of Australia. there are more than compounds, low extraction efficiency, long extraction
700 species of eucalyptus, mostly native to Australia time, degradation of unsaturated or ester compounds
and a very small number are found in adjacent areas of through thermal or hydrolytic effects and toxic solvent
new Guinea and Indonesia. Species of eucalyptus are residue in the extract [12]. To overcome these problems
cultivated throughout the tropics and subtropics some new “green” techniques in essential oil extraction
including the Americas, Europe, Africa the Mediterranean have been developed by researchers. These techniques
basin, the middle east, China and the Indian subcontinent typically use less solvent and energy, such as ultrasound
[3]. The essential oil have achieved high economic value and microwave.
[4]. Which are sweet and the primary source of cooling Microwave assisted process is a recent technique for
sensation. Essential oil is find main application as flavor essential oil extraction from plant materials, patented by
in chewing gums, toothpastes, confectionary, tobacco federal department of environment, Canada [13]. Today,
and alcoholic beverage [5]. the eucalyptus citriodora also MAP is well known to selective and volumetric heating of
has many other compound include citronellal,citronellel,1- target, less extraction time, high product quality. This
8cineole.E-citriodora can also be found application in technology finds application from analytical laboratory
shampoo and skin care product. E-citriodora commonly systems to industrial extractor [14].

Corresponding Author: Deepak Gupta, Department of Chemical Engineering, SOET,

ITM University, Gwalior, India.
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 Middle-East J. Sci. Res., 16 (5): 702-705, 2013

In this present work, extraction of eucalyptus

essential oil is done by MAHD method (MAP with water
as solvent) and extraction yield is compared with
conventional hydro distillation. Experiments were
conducted to study the influence of the MAHD process
parameters viz, extraction time, power input of microwave,
different drying duration on percentage yield of
eucalyptus oil.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Raw Materials: Plant material eucalyptus leaves were Fig. 1: MAHD reactor setup
collected from the private farm at Gwalior. The family of
the eucalyptus was myrtaceae and botanical name levels of time and microwave power. Light yellow colored
eucalyptus citriodora. The authenticity of variety was oil, with a lemon like odor, was obtained which was
verified by department of botany, Jiwaji University. This separated and dried over the minimum amount of
variety has been commercialized in northern, south India. anhydrous sodium sulfate to remove traces of moisture.
Plants were cleaned and dried in a dark room at 25°C. The percentage oil yield is expressed as follows;

massof extracted oil

Microwave-assisted hydro-distillation (MAHD): oil yield ( % ) = ×100% (1)
Microwave-assisted hydro-distillation (MAHD) was per- mass of sample
formed at atmospheric pressure with a microwave
frequency of 2450 MHz using a household microwave RESULT AND DISCUSSION
oven; which was mechanically modified to perform the
hydro distillation [15], as shown in fig. 1. This was a Effect of Extraction Time: Time needed to reach the
multimode microwave reactor with a maximum delivered extraction temperature or induction time is shown in fig. 2
output power of 800 W and input power of 1200W, having for eucalyptus. For both methods; HD and MAHD, the
the voltage supply of 230 volt and dimensions of the oven extraction started at the boiling point of water at the
cavity are 206mm (H) x 300mm (W) x 302mm (D), with total atmospheric pressure. For MAHD (at 660 W), the
capacity. extraction started much earlier than that in HD. With HD,
induction time was 13 min. However, with MAHD at 660
Hydrodistilation: Eucalyptus oil was extracted by hydro W, the induction time was 5 min. Such results can be
distillation. Pretreated eucalyptus leave of different attributed to the more powerful effect of microwaves on
moisture levels was subjected to distillation as described water, a solvent with a high dielectric constant.
in the European Pharmacopoeia [16]. Distillation However, once the microwave power was reduced to
equipment was made with the modified Clevenger type 220 W, the induction time with MAHD was longer than
apparatus. Hydro distillation was carried out by that in HD (fig. 2). This is related to the low density of
submerged boiling of 500 g of leave sample in distilled waves at this power level. Total times needed to fully
water, using a heating source from below the 5 liter recover the essential oils from the eucalyptus citriodora at
spherical flask at atmospheric pressure. Three repetition different power levels are shown on fig. 3. MAHD needed
of each run was performed and average of three repeated shorter times than HD. Such effect is clearer when
run was recorded as final yield. microwave power is increased to higher levels. Total
extraction time needed for HD was 180 min. These results
Extraction of Essential Oil: The eucalyptus leaves were are in agreement with those available in literature, MAHD
properly cleaned and chopped in to 1-2 cm. long pieces. of essential oils from orange peels [17] and lavender [18].
Before extraction of essential oil plant was stored in shade It can also be concluded that by increasing
with limited air circulation and for three different drying microwave power from 220 to 660 W, the induction time
durations. The moisture lost during 24 hour was 9-10%. A for evaporation and total time for the extraction decrease
100g of sample was placed in reactor with 1:2 (w/v) ratio (figs.2 and 3). According to Chen and Spiro [19] at higher
of plant to water. The runs were taken at three different power levels, the microwaves (i.e., the radiations) can be

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 Middle-East J. Sci. Res., 16 (5): 702-705, 2013

stages of extraction, extraction yield was greater with

MAHD than with HD. This is in agreement with the
previous findings of Lucchesi et al. and Chemat et al.
that MAE of essential oils from cumin, star anise and
lavender needed shorter times than did HD [20, 18].
Indeed, water with a high dielectric constant absorb the
radiation from the microwaves resulting in a rise in the
temperature more rapidly than that in HD. Higher
temperature causes an easier degradation of plant cells
and consequently a shorter extraction time can be
Fig. 2: Effect of extraction method on startup of achieved. This effect is more evident at higher power
evaporation. levels [21-24].

Effects of Dryness and Extraction Time on the Yield of

Eucalyptus Oil: To study the effects of dryness and
extraction time on the yield of the essential oil in
hydrodistilation of eucalyptus citriodora, extraction
was done using ground sample at different dryness
(0-90%), constant volume of water (5L), constant original
sample weight (500g) and extraction time was varied
from 1 to 5 hr. From fig. 5, it can be seen that eucalyptus
oil yield increases with increasing dryness and extraction
Fig. 3: Effect of extraction method on extraction time.
time. It was also observed that greater part of the oil
distilled out during the next 2 hours and after 3 hours of
extraction approximately a constant yield of the oil
collected. Therefore, in order to have minimum energy
consumption, 3 hours of extraction is the ideal extraction
time.

CONCLUSION

For extraction of essential oils of eucalyptus a

comparison has been made between the conventional
Fig. 4: Effect of extraction method and microwave power
on oil yield. method (hydrodistilation) and MAHD. Thus it was
observed that the hydrodistilation required more time
absorbed by water more intensively and as a result the heating to boiling point and therefore higher energy.
disruption rate of cellular texture and release of essential Extraction with MAHD is more efficient than HD. MAHD
oils also increase. Using scanning electron microscopy, resulted in slightly higher oil yield than compare to HD. In
Lucchesi et al. reported that cells undergone MAE MAHD, the sudden warming of water in plant cells causes
resulted in faster rupture than those undergone the rupture of cell walls and release of volatile oil;
conventional extraction [20]. components are contained in the mass of water vapor
The changes in the extraction yield of essential released from the plant. Thus it was possible to obtain a
oils by HD and MAHD are shown on fig. 4. It can see very fast and efficient process of releasing plant volatile
from figure that the extraction yield increased with components. Warming up should still be moderate; the
time. When considering the extraction patterns of use of high microwave power may degrade valuable
plant, both MAHD and HD resulted in similar yields components. For these reasons, MAHD is a promising
after the extraction was over. Total yield of extraction tool for the extraction of essential oils from medicinal
was 0.91% (w/w) for in HD and 1.2% (w/w) in MAHD. plants and aromatic herbs and also very interesting for
According to fig. 4, at a given time, in the early food industry and aromatherapy.

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 Middle-East J. Sci. Res., 16 (5): 702-705, 2013

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