An Improved Ultrasound Clevenger for Extraction of Essential Oils

A new process employing ultrasound technology to improve hydrodistillation extraction was designed and developed. The extraction process (sono-Clevenger) was performed under simultaneous sonication using an ultrasonic horn in situ to provide rapid and complete recovery of analytes from the matrix. The extraction of essential oil from orange peels with conventional Clevenger extraction was compared with the sono-Clevenger process using physicochemical characterization and gravimetric analysis. The new procedure provided a substantial reduction in the extraction time when compared to conventional process without interfering on composition of target compounds.