Supercritical Fluid Extraction

Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE) Systems

Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) is a technique that uses a supercritical fluid as an extraction solvent. SFE typically uses supercritical carbon dioxide as the extraction solvent of choice as it has many advantages. Extraction using supercritical CO2 has the benefit of high matrix penetration and low viscosity at relatively low temperatures and in the absence of oxygen, this is important for compunds that may be heat labile or easily oxidized. SFE offers short extraction times and require little or no organic solvent compared with other extraction techniques.

Applications for SFE include the extraction of active ingredients, including various flavors and medicinal constituents from natural product e.g. docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), advanced unsaturated fatty acids and fatty esters such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), fat-soluble vitamins and pharmaceuticals. Other applications include the elimination of unwanted constituents, such as decaffeination and desolvation in pharmaceutical tablets. It can also be applied to the pre-processing of samples prior to separation using HPLC or GC.

System Configuration

The system comprises a supercritical carbon dioxide pump, a modifier co-solvent pump, extraction vessel, and an automatic back pressure regulation valve. We offer a wide variety of extraction vessels in a range of different sizes and they can either be a column or cup type, depending on the physical state of the extraction sample. Extraction parameters include solvent volume, pressure, temperature and co-solvent ratio all of which can be adjusted to suit the application for optimal extraction yields.

Residual Pesticide Extraction Systems

SFE is an excellent technique for analyzing trace pesticides in soil and on food products. Residual pesticide extraction systems that use supercritical carbon dioxide are extremely versatile. JASCO has several SFC systems dedicated to residual pesticide extraction.

Extraction vessel sizes : 10 mL or 50 mL
Simple patented ‘Fasten Lock‘ attachment offers simple loading and removal for both sizes of vessel
One to six vessels can be batch processed
Processing method for multiple samples. Continuous processing (serial) is offered as standard. Parallel processing is available as an option

Operational Features

Simple operation
Quick extraction – about 30 to 60 minutes per sample, which is one-third to one-forth the processing time of conventional techniques
Eliminates trace pesticides – the extract is collected in a trap column
Minimal extract cleanup – also roughly separates impurities in trap column
Blockages and contamination are minimized – the trap column and piping is washed each time
Low running costs – carbon dioxide is highly pure and inexpensive
The system is safe and environmentally friendly - carbon dioxide is non-toxic and nonflammable

Flexibility

Capacity of extraction vessels: 10 mL or 50 mL. The 10 mL vessel is ideal if operability is the focus. The 50 mL vessel is a better selection if the focus is on sample processing volume or analysis sensitivity
The 50 mL vessel offers simple one-touch attachment and removal
One to six vessels can be processed at a time. JASCO offers the single vessel type or the six-vessel type depending on the frequency of samples being measured

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