Extraction of inflorescences of Musa paradisiaca L. using supercritical CO2 and compressed propane

This work aimed to investigate the extraction of inflorescences of Musa paradisiaca L. using super-critical CO2 and compressed propane as solvents. The extractions were performed in a laboratory scale unit at temperature and pressure range of 313.15-353.15 K and 15-25 MPa for carbon dioxide and 308.15-338.15K and 3-10 MPa for propane extractions, respectively. A 22 factorial experimental design with three replicates at central point was adopted to organize the data collection. The highest extraction yields were 3.60 wt% using scCO(2) at 313.15 K and 25 MPa and 3.14wt% with compressed propane at 338.15 K and 10 MPa. The overall extraction curves were modeled using a model based on the BET theory of adsorption. The kinetic model allowed correlating the different conditions of extraction with both scCO(2) and compressed propane. The pressure of scCO(2) presented a positive effect on the extraction yield of M. paradisiaca L. while temperature presented a negative effect. On the other hand, the increase of temperature allowed higher extraction yields of M. paradisiaca L when propane was used. The most volatile fraction from the scCO(2) extracts were composed by lupenone, methyl 2-hydroxy-2-(3-nitrophenyl)-2-(4-nitrophenyl)-acetate, pentacosane, 3,6,9-nonacosatriene, 10-hentriacontene and, 7,23-dimethyltritriacontane while for compressed propane extracts lupenone and 7,23-dimethyltritriacontane were the major constituents. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.