SUPERCRITICAL-FLUID EXTRACTION AND CAPILLARY GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHY OF THE RHIZOMES OF Z-ZERUMBET

Supercritical carbon dioxide at 60 degrees C and 200 bar has been used to extract the nonpolar components of the dried rhizomes of Zingiber zerumbet. The extract could be fractionated by placing an on-line silica column before the pressure relief valve. The extracts were analyzed using capillary GC and GC-MS. This technique provides an effective means of sample preparation and a relatively fast way of determining the constituents of plant materials.