The Effect of Different Extraction Methods (Steam Distillation and Supercritical Fluid Extraction) on Essential Oil Production of Aromatic Tagetes and Sweet Basil

Abstract

Tagetes minuta L. (Aromatic Tagetes) is an erect and stout summer annual herb. Ocimum basilicum L. (Sweet Basil) is considered a summer aromatic plant. There are several methods for extraction of essential oils i.e. (HD) hydro-distillation, (SD) steam distillation, (SFE) supercritical fluid extraction, and organic solvents. It is now considered the method of extracting essential oil with steam distillation is the commercial method used in many countries that produce essential oils. SFE method consider is the latest extracting essential oils method but the method spread is limited due to the high cost of its establishment. The present study is aimed to compare the two methods SD and SFE to extract the essential oil from sweet basil and aromatic tagetes plants, and its yield on the resulting essential oil yield. SFE method increases oil yield and improves oil quality. SFE method gave a high percentage of the following major’s components for sweet basil oil (linalool (50.22%) and E- Citral (10.44%)) and aromatic tagetes oil ( β-Ocimene (27.49%) and cis-Tagetone (9.93%)) compared to the steam distillation method.