Comparative Study of Microwave Assisted Hydro-Distillation With Conventional Hydro-Distillation for Extraction of Essential oil from Piper Betle L.

Amaresh¹, Guha P², Shafat khan¹ and Sumaiyah R Zari²

¹Department of agriculture and food engineering Indian institute of technology Kharagpur West Bengal, 721302.

²Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology Kashmir Kashmir.

Corresponding Author E-mail: amareshb142@gmail.com

DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.13005/bbra/2458

ABSTRACT: Microwave assisted hydro-distillation (MAHD) is a new technique utilizing a modified microwave oven with Clevenger apparatus in the extraction process. MAHD was carried out to study its effect on extraction process at different power levels and leaf to water ratio. The MAHD extraction method was compared with conventional hydro-distillation (CHD) for extraction of essential oil (EO) from betel leaf (Piper betle L.) in terms of extraction yield, extraction time, energy requirement and quality of essential oil obtained. The extraction yield was generally improved by increasing microwave power level and also by increasing leaf to water ratio. The main components found by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis were same for the oil extracted from both MAHD and CHD. There is no significant difference in the results obtained from physical properties and radical scavenging activity evaluation. MAHD was found to be more energy efficient and required less extraction time (50 minutes as compared to 210 minutes in CHD) without adversely affecting the quality of essential oil. The results obtained in this study encouraged the application of MAHD method for extraction of the essential oil. Therefore, it can be used as a good alternative method to obtain essential oils from betel leaf.

KEYWORDS: betel leaf essential oil; GC-MS; Microwave assisted hydro-distillation;

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