SUPERCRITICAL CARBON-DIOXIDE EXTRACTION OF CHAMOMILE ESSENTIAL OIL AND ITS ANALYSIS BY GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHY MASS-SPECTROMETRY

The essential oil of chamomile flowerheads was extracted by supercritical CO2, producing the fractional separation of the extract to enhance the process selectivity. The extract fractions were analyzed by GC-MS and SFC to assess the presence of undesirable compounds and to obtain the detailed oil composition. The best oil was obtained by extracting at p = 90 bar and T = 40 degrees C and fractionating the product in two separators in series operating at p = 90 bar, T = 0 degrees C, and p = 30 bar, T = -5 degrees C, respectively. All undesired compounds were precipitated in the first separator. The oil did not suffer thermal degradation: matricine was not converted to chamazulene. The other chamomile oil characteristic compounds (bisabolol oxides, alpha-bisabolol, and bisabolone oxide) contributed more than 75% and dicycloethers contributed about 13% to the oil composition. Organoleptic analysis confirmed the high quality of the product.