Extraction of essential oil from saunf elaichi and ajwain
Answers
To effectively extract essential oil from sauf, elaichi and ajwain it is important that you set up the apparatus perfectly. The apparatus is made up of a round flask that is connected to the source of steam generator. You can make use of the inlet tube to connect the two.
• The water condenser can be directly connected to the round flask using a glass tube and then to an adaptor.
• Pour around 750 ml of water inside the steam generator to produce steam after heating.
• Place around 75vml of sauf, elaichi or ajwain in crushed form. Once this has been done you just need to pass the steam through the flask.
• The steam is allowed to condense inside the flask. Try and pass more amount of steam in the round flask.
• The contents are later on collected inside the receiver. You can now make use of Bunsen burner to heat the contents. Try and not over heat to avoid condensation.
• This process is termed as steam distillation and is used widely to extract essential oils. The process should be repeated for about thirty minutes. Later on this mixture can be distilled and extracted in presence of petroleum ether. The process of extraction has to be repeated three times.
• Later on the ether extract can be dried in the flask in presence of Sodium sulphate and then distilled with water. The essential oil will be left behind in the distillation flask that can be separated.