Journal of Microwave Power and Electromagnetic Energy (JMPEE)
TITLE	Study of Microwave Extraction of Essential Oil Constituents from Plant Materials [PDF]
AUTHORS	S.S. Chen and M. Spiro 1994 29 4 231-241
YEAR
VOLUME
ISSUE
PAGES
Abstract The microwave heating characteristics of extraction mixtures consisting of rosemary or peppermint leaves suspended in hexane, ethanol and hexane + ethanol mixtures were studied. The temperature rises were found to depend on the dielectric properties of the solvents and the leaves in question. The rates of extraction of several essential oil constituents increased with increasing power output between ca 200 and 640 W but not in a proportional way. Scanning electron micrographs of the leaves showed that the extraction rates were related to structural changes in the oil-containing glands. Key Words: Microwave extraction, Microwave heating, Plant materials, Essential oils, Dielectric properties, Kinetics, Rate constants, Rosemary, Peppermint.