ANALYSIS OF BEECH WOOD FATTY-ACIDS BY SUPERCRITICAL ACETONE EXTRACTION

Soxhlet and supercritical fluid extracts of freshly cut oriental beech (Fagus orientalis) have been obtained using acetone. While the yield of the Soxhlet extract was 2.54% the yield of the supercritical acetone extract obtained at 240-degrees-C and 6.0-6.5 MPa was 9.55% (dry wood basis). The fatty acids present in the extracts were separated by chemical and chromatographic methods and analysed by combined gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Linoleic acid was the major fatty acid in both extracts.