Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

Document Type

Poster

Publication Date

4-30-2026

Disciplines

Chemistry

Advisor

Edward McIntee

Abstract

Supercritical fluid extractions are a green chemistry technique that is used to isolate nonpolar compounds, without the use of solvents that are harmful to the environment. Compounds reach their supercritical point which is found above their critical temperature and pressure causing them to be in a state between liquid and gas phases. Carbon dioxide in its supercritical fluid form acts as a solvent. This study investigates how a supercritical carbon dioxide extraction can be incorporated into the Chemistry 202 Laboratory curriculum at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University. Initial conditions for this extraction were previously determined. The goal for this study was to determine suitable substrates and how the procedure needs to be modified with temperature, materials to keep pressure, and methods to crush the spices. Three natural sources of orange peels, cloves, and cinnamon sticks were used to isolate d-limonene, eugenol, and cinnamaldehyde. These products were characterized by 1H NMR and 13C NMR. Future experiments will apply the supercritical extraction method to extract other target nonpolar compounds such as all-trans-lycopene, trans-anethole, or vanillin from foods such as tomatoes, fennel seeds, and vanilla beans. Overall, this research will provide an alternate laboratory for students that is environmentally friendly, and to learn specific techniques when performing supercritical fluid extractions.

Download

Included in

Chemistry Commons

Share

COinS