Chamomile Essential Oils Extracted From Flower Heads and Recovered Water During Drying Process

Abstract

Yield and chemical composition of chamomile (Chamomilla recutita[L.] Rauschert) essential oils were periodically monitored during a drying process at 80C. Simultaneous to the drying, the substances dragged by the water column were recovered by condensation. Hydrodistillation and gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry analyses were conducted, and data were analyzed using polynomial regressions (P < 0.01). The evaluation of chamomile drying process in a fixed layer showed that the reduction of water content was progressive in a whole drying process, while the essential oil reduction was more pointed in the beginning. The identified essential oil components were alpha‐pinene, artemisia ketone, 3‐carene, azulene, caryophylene, caryophylene oxide, alpha‐farnesene, gamma‐muurolene, bisabolol oxide B, alpha‐bisabolol, bisabolene, chamazulene and bisabolol oxide. It was possible to recover the part of volatilized substances (6.6%) under the drying temperature of 80C. Recovered aromatic water was composed of artemisia ketona, bisabolol oxide B, alpha‐bisabolol, bisabolene oxide, bisabolol oxide‐A, whereas only a reduction in chamazulene concentration was significant. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS The study of chamomile drying process contributes to the comprehension of some physical, chemical and biological phenomena, and establishes some relationships involving them, enhancing the interest of science about medicinal, aromatic and condiment plants. The processes of exhaustion and water vapor condensation occurring simultaneously to drying enable to obtain the condensate of potentially therapeutic properties, as a commercially rentable option for producers. However, the necessity of an adjustment in the recuperation of the condensate is imposed, considering that only 6.6% was recovered. We believe that a greater efficiency of this process could be reached by adjustments of exhauster system dimensioning, condensation and cooling. Furthermore, the shortening of condensation period coupled with an increased temperature of drying could be tested in order to reduce the losses of therapeutic volatiles.

Olive Mill Wastewater: From a Pollutant to Green Fuels, Agricultural Water Source, and Bio-Fertilizer. Part 2: Water Recovery

“…Very few works in the literature deal with the recovery of water for an agricultural purpose after a drying operation [20]. These studies are focused on the recovering of added-value chemicals in water, for example, essential oils extraction [21].…”

Drying Kinetics and Optimization of Quercetrin Extraction from Melastoma malabathricum Leaves

“…Different matrices require various drying temperatures to preserve the sample quality. Numerous studies stated that the drying temperature could influence the product yield and chemical composition 12, 13.…”

CONTRIBUIÇÃO AO ESTUDO ALELOPÁTICO DE ÁGUA RECUPERADA DE [Chamomilla recutita (L.) RAUSCHERT]

“…Alguns dos constituintes do óleo essencial da camomila podem ser recuperados durante processos de secagem à 70º C (BORSATO et al, 2007), à 60º C (BORSATO et al, 2008a) e à 80º C (BORSATO et al, 2008b) e suas propriedades físico-químicas foram simultaneamente caracterizadas por BORSATO et al (2008c),indicando grande potencial para sua utilização em formulações farmacêuticas.…”