Comparison of the Volatile Component of the Essential Oil of Kumquat (Fortunella margarita swingle) Extracted by Supercritical Carbon Dioxide, Hydrodistillation and Conventional Solvent Extraction

Abstract

A study was performed on kumquat peel extracted by different methods: hydrodistillation, solvent and supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO₂) extractions at a density of 281 g/dm³ (80 bar and 40°C of temperature) and 875 g/dm³ (250 bar and 40°C temperature). A total of 24 compounds were quantified: 8 monoterpene hydrocarbons, 6 terpene alcohols, 1 terpene aldehyde, 1 ketones terpene, 4 terpene esters, 4 sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. The amount of the major compound, limonene, in the essential oil obtained from Kumquat peel is high (96%), followed myrcene (1.6-1.7%) and the germacrene-D (0.9-1.4%). The three studied extractions (hydrodistillate, solvent and SC-CO₂) present a similar composition regarding to limonene, myrcene and germacrene-D.

Key words:

• Kumquat
• supercritical carbon dioxide
• oil composition
• volatile compounds