Obtaining phenolic compounds from Brazilian plants via supercritical technology using cosolvents and ultrasound assisted extraction

Author(s)

Priscilla Carvalho Veggi

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Campinas, SP.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos
• Defense date: 2013-03-15

Examining board members

Maria Angela de Almeida Meireles Petenate; Marcio Antonio Mazutti; Cintia Bernardo Gonçalves; Gislaine Chrystina Nogueira; Vanessa Martins da Silva

• Advisor: Maria Angela de Almeida Meireles Petenate

Abstract

The objective of this study was to use supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) to extract phenolic compounds from indigenous Brazilian plants with high economic potential. The plants studied were: Flame wine (Pyrostegia venusta), Dog's knot (Heteropteris aphrodisiaca O. Mach), Ice-cream bean tree (Inga edulis), Jatoba (Hymenaea courbaril var. stilbocarpa) and beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Global yields experiments (X0,S/F=50) using pure CO2, CO2 + ethanol (10 %, mass) and CO2 + water (10 %, mass) as solvents were performed 35 MPa and 323 K; the ratio of the CO2 mass to feed mass was maintained constant (50 kg/kg). The extracts were analyzed by thin layer chromatography (TLC). Their antioxidant activity, total polyphenolic and flavonoids content were also determined. After evaluating the behavior of the yield and chemical composition of the extracts, it was observed that the solvent mixture CO2 + H2O provided higher yield, especially for jatobá. Additionally, this extract presented high antioxidant activity. Based on these results, global yields isotherms (GYI) of jatoba were determined at temperature of 323 and 333 K and pressures of 15, 25 and 35 MPa in order to select the optimum operational conditions. Due to the higher polyphenols and tannins content, the optimum conditions selected were 15 MPa and 323 K. Overall extraction curves (OEC¿s) were obtained under these conditions in order to determine the kinetic parameters by fitting the OECs to a linear spline with three straight lines. For the scale-up study, the criterion adopted was keeping constant the solvent to feed ratio (S/F) and process time. The chemical analyses of SFE extracts were performed by Ultra performance liquid chromatography - diode array detection (UPLC-MS/MS) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS). According to the results, the extracts showed chemical profile of procyanidins. Finally, it was evaluated the cost of manufacturing (COM) of the extracts for all five plants obtained in the GYI experiment (X0, S/F=50) for the three solvent: CO2 pure, CO2 + ethanol (10 %, mass) e CO2 + water (10 %, mass); and for the jatobá extract obtained at optimized process conditions using CO2 + water (10 %, mass). The estimated COM demonstrated the feasibility of the SFE process for industrial scale extractors of 50 and 500 L, depending on the raw material to be processed. Moreover, according to the estimated COM, obtaining jatobá bark extracts rich in tannins was economically feasible with CO2 + H2O. Jatoba extracts were also obtained using ultrasound assisted extraction (UAE). The extractions were performed at the potency of 20 and 60 W during 40 min, using water at S/F ratio of 20 (optimized in a maceration extraction assay). High content of polyphenols were obtained using the potency of 60 W. The efficiency of UAE in extracting polyphenols was evaluated using crosscurrent extraction in three stages. The scale-up of the UAE process was studied in an extractor of three liters. It was also performed a kinetic study to evaluate the extraction of polyphenols from jatobá via UAE and AGE. The results were compared to those obtained by extraction under agitation (AGE) and ultrasound probe (UP), in the same conditions used for the UAE experiment. The extracts were analyzed by TLC. The antioxidant activity and polyphenols content of the extracts were also determined. The results proved that UAE is an efficient method to obtain extracts rich in phenolic compounds and with high antioxidant activity. The chemical analysis of the extracts by high performance liquid chromatography - diode array detection (HPLC-DAD), showed that the phytochemical profile of jatobá bark extracts presented procyanidins, (+)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 08/10986-2 - OBTAINING FLAVONOIDS FROM BRAZILIAN NATIVE PLANTS BY SUPERCRITICAL FLUID EXTRACTION USING CO-SOLVENTS: SCALE-UP AND ECONOMICAL EVALUATION
• Grantee: Priscilla Carvalho Veggi
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate