Evaluation of supercritical fluid extraction of tacamahaco (Protium heptaphyllum) resin

Abstract

An experimental design 2³ was developed to investigate the effect of operating pressure (80–100 bar), operating temperature (40–60 °C) and static extraction time (30–35 min) on extraction yield and on its quality during supercritical carbon dioxide extraction from the resin of Protium heptaphyllum (Aubl.) March. The response variables were extraction yield and the quality of the extract measured as the concentration of p-cymen-8-ol. The statistical analysis showed which individual factors had significant effects. The central composite design performed produced a surface response for optimal extraction measured for the percentage of p-cymene-8-ol at 43 °C, a pressure of 106.8 bar and a static time of 36.63 min. A perfume was formulated according to international guidelines with the extract obtained by supercritical fluid extraction and a market survey with a sample of sixty-seven subjects was carried out to find its level of acceptance from the public.

Keywords:

• Protium heptaphyllum
• supercritical fluid extraction
• experimental design
• market survey

Acknowledgements

The authors also acknowledge Ing. Bari Agüero from the Experimental Faculty of Science and Technology (Facyt); Lic. Magaly Hernández and Ing. Nelson Hernández from the Faculty of Engineering of Universidad of Carabobo and Sr. Gilberto Erazo (Oxicar) and Jeremy Nagle from British Library, London. Diego T. Santos thanks CAPES [grant number 7545-15-0] for the postdoctoral fellowship.