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Supercritical fluid
extraction - The
green manufacturing
process
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The increased public awareness
of the health, environment
and safety concerns associated
with the use of some organic
solvents in food processing and the
possible solvent contamination of the
final products. The high cost of organic
solvents and the increasingly stringent
environmental regulations together with
the new requirements of the medical
and food industries for ultra-pure and
high added value products have pointed
out the need for the development of
new and clean technologies for the
processing of food ingredients.
Supercritical fluid extraction, using
carbon dioxide as a solvent, has
provided an excellent alternative to the
use of chemical solvents. Over the past
three decades, supercritical CO2 has
been used for the extraction and
isolation of valuable compounds. It is
non-toxic, leaves no residues, and is
considered a green manufacturing
process. |
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SUPERCRITICAL FLUID
EXTRACTION PROCESS: UNIQUE
AND INNOVATIVE EXTRACTION
PROCESS |
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Supercritical fluid extraction (SCFE)
process has emerged as the alternative
to the traditional solvent extraction
process. It is a separation technique,
which is developed by use of the fluid
that has the ability of dissolution at
supercritical pressure and supercritical
temperature.
The extraction is carried out in highpressure
equipment in batch or
continuous manner, the supercritical
solvent is put in contact with the
material from which a desirable product
is to be separated. The supercritical
solvent, now saturated with the extracted
product, is expanded to atmospheric
conditions and the solubilized product is
recovered in the separation vessel
permitting the recycle of the supercritical
solvent for further use (Figure 1). |
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As the extractions are carried out at
high pressures, the extraction unit is fully
automated, computerized, and highly
sophisticate. Communication interfaces
and input/output modules match the
most challenging requirements in
industrial automation thereby creating
high degree of consistency and
reproducibility between batches/lots. |
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CHARACTERISTICS OF
SUPERCRITICAL FLUID
EXTRACTION PROCESS |
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The supercritical fluid extraction technique
has many characteristics:
-High extraction efficiencies;
- Simple separation technology;
- No need for solvent recovery
equipment;
- Easy operation condition;
- Always completed at the room
temperature and is carried out close
to ambient temperature conditions.
Supercritical Fluid Extraction using CO2 is
today a popular technology for rapid,
contamination-free extraction. CO2 is
inert, safe, inexpensive, non-flammable
and non-toxic solvent. |
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INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION OF
SUPERCRITICAL FLUID
EXTRACTION PROCESS |
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The special properties of supercritical
fluids bring certain advantages to chemical
separation processes. Several applications
have been fully developed and
commercialized. |
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Nutraceuticals |
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The Nutraceutical market is still a nascent
market with potential for revenue in the
coming years. In particular, the most
interesting areas of Nutraceutical products
are pointed in the products with effect in
the immunological system, cancer risk,
cardiovascular illness and elevated levels
of cholesterol in the blood. SCFE provides
interesting alternatives for development of
Nutraceuticals. Its capacity can be
considered as a strategic property. With
SCFE technology it is feasible to remove
solvent traces, aromas, flavors, fats etc. |
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Pharmaceuticals and Chemicals |
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Pharmaceutical industries as well as
chemical industries are changing some of
these traditional practices to accomplish
fresh green goals. Thus extraction
with carbon dioxide under
supercritical conditions constitutes
an emerging technology in terms
of environmental impact. |
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Food and Flavoring- Extraction of natural spices |
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A very successful application
of supercritical fluid extraction
technique is the distillation of
natural spices. Supercritical
fluid extraction has the ability
of high dissolution, high
extraction yield and is
efficient. CO2 is used as the
extraction agent, the products
are non toxic, leaves no
residues, their color and
fragrance are excellent.
- Essential oils obtained from
plant matrix form the basis of
many pharmaceutical
compounds in use nowadays
and are the raw materials of
flavors and fragrances. However, the
traditional methods for extraction,
such as hydro distillation, steam
distillation, solvent extraction, and
simultaneous distillation extraction are
time consuming, labor intensive, and
may violate new stringent
environmental regulations. Thus
supercritical fluid extraction is a viable
alternative for many applications
including essential oils extraction from
herbs.
Natural products, especially essential
oils that are aromatic liquids separated
from herbal plants, represent the main
raw materials for flavor, fragrances and
pharmaceuticals. Flavoring and
fragrance ingredients are the most
numerous single group of
international additives used by the
food and personal care industries.
Their market growth rate is increasing
with time on an international level.
The WHO regulations are changing to
be strict, to safeguard the human
health and a survey has been issued
indicating that about 70-80% of the
world populations rely on nonconventional
medicine mainly of
herbal sources in their primary health
care. In time, traditional separation
techniques such as hydro distillation,
steam distillation, solvent extraction,
and simultaneous distillation extraction
need to be substituted by sustainable
and green separation techniques. |
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MAIN ADVANTAGES |
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The SCFE extracts are regarded as very
high quality as there are no chemical
changes due to reactions or thermal
degradation as the extractions are carried
out using moderate processing
temperatures. |
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- SCFE process is becoming
increasingly popular due to its
inherent potential for high
recoverability and selectivity,
fractionating superior-grade natural
extracts from a variety of biomaterials.
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SCFE Process is an environmentally
friendly process for industrial
production. It meets safety regulations
and legal restrictions as well as the
increasing demand for the use of
natural products.
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The Carbon Dioxide used in the SCFE
process is non-toxic, odorless,
tasteless, neutral, nonflammable and
fully accepted as food grade solvent
with GRAS status.
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High purity and tailor made
specifications of the product due to
easy manipulation and selectivity of
separation.
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A wide spectrum of physical
properties can be obtained in a single
solvent by small variation of process
parameters such as pressure and
temperature.
- The SCFE extracts are known for
accuracy, precision, specificity and linearity.
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Improved product consistency
because of accurate controlled
process parameters. |
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SCFE is the Technique of Choice for
Many Important Nutraceuticals,
Essential Oils and Spice Extracts |
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SCFE Process Ideal for |
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- Extraction of natural spices:
Black Pepper, Celery Seed, Cumin,
Cinnamon, Clove Bud, Nutmeg etc;
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Extraction of Natural Colors:
Pigments from Paprika, etc;
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Extraction of actives from botanicals:
Dry Ginger, Saw Palmetto, Rosemary
etc;
- Extraction of Nutraceuticals,
Cosmeceuticals:
Forskolin, Turmerones - from Turmeric,
Oscimum sanctum, Neem Leaf
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Extraction of cholesterol and other
lipids from dried egg yolk;
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Extraction of Hops for the beverage
industry;
- Biochemical components:
Precipitation of Human Immunoglobulin G (IgG),
Inactivation of viruses etc. |
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CONCLUSION |
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Sustainability has also become a leading
strategy for new successful product and
process development for the 21st century.
Therefore new industrial processes which
offer ecological and social advantages are
demanded. New processes using
Supercritical fluids, which improve current
ones in simplicity, energy saving, recycling
and in quality of obtained products,
constitute clean processes in the frame of
environmentally accepted technologies.
Supercritical Fluid Extraction is becoming
increasingly important as an
environmentally acceptable replacement
for more traditional solvents in the move
towards Green Chemistry. |
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REFERENCES |
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1) MUKHOPADHYAY M. Natural Extracts Using
Supercritical Carbon Dioxide; CRC Press,
2000
2) SOMOGYI L. "The flavour and fragrance
industry: serving a global market" Chemistry
and Industry 1996, 5, 170-3
3) Extraction of Natural Products Using
Near Critical Solvents, King M.B., Bott T.R.
Eds; Chapman & Hall, 1993
4) CHAN K. "Some aspects of toxic contaminants
in herbal medicine" Chemosphere 2003,
52, 1361
5) BECKMAN E.J. "Supercritical and near critical
CO2 in green chemical synthesis and
processing" J. Supercritical Fluids 2004,
28 (2-3), 121-91
6) MOHAMED R.S., MANSOORI G.A. "The Use of
Supercritical Fluid Extraction Technology in
Food Processing" Food Technology
Magazine 2002, June
7) DEL VALLE J.M., AGUILERA J.M. Food Science
and Technology International 1999, 5,
1-24
8) DE CASTRO M.D.L., JIMENEZ-CARMONA M.M.
"High pressure CO2 extraction: fundamentals
and applications in the food industry" Trac-
Trends in Analytical Chemistry 2000, 19,
223-8
10) DI GIACOMO G., et al. "Solubility of essential
oils component in compressed SC-CO2"
Fluid Phase Equil. 1989, 52, 405-11 |
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WORLDWIDE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY
LAUNCHES GLOBAL HEALTH PROGRESS
INITIATIVE TO EXPAND EFFORTS TO IMPROVE
HEALTH IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
INDUSTRY SUPPORTS HUNDREDS OF
PROGRAMS HELPING MILLIONS IN THE
DEVELOPING WORLD AND IS LOOKING FOR
NEW PARTNERS |
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The worldwide pharmaceutical industry
launched Global Health Progress, an
initiative to bring research-based
biopharmaceutical companies, global health
leaders and policymakers together to build
on current partnerships to improve health in
the developing world.
Serving as a convening point for the industry
and its partners, Global Health Progress will
facilitate interaction between the private
sector, NGOs and governments to share
research and best practices; raise awareness
of global health challenges; and build
partnerships to improve global health.
“Research-based biopharmaceutical
companies contribute hugely to health
partnerships for the developing world,
through their unique expertise in R&D,
regulatory affairs, manufacturing, logistics
and many other fields, but we can’t work
alone.“ said Dr. HARVEY BALE, Director General
of IFPMA. “The Global Health Progress
initiative should help to expand the range
and scope of global health partnerships
supported by our industry.”
Global Health Progress unveiled its web site,
www.globalhealthprogress.org, which
houses a database of research-based
biopharmaceutical companies’ global health
programs, including information on more
than 300 partners, 400 programs and
ongoing investments of billions of dollars
annually in products and man-hours.
Featuring stories of health workers on the
ground, the site highlights organizations and
individuals who are making a difference in
global health. |
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IMPORTANT NEW DISCOVERIES FROM NMS
ON CDC7 INHIBITOR, A PROTEIN
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PROLIFERATION OF
TUMOUR CELLS |
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Scientists from Nerviano Medical Sciences
(NMS), one of the largest stand alone
Research and Development facility for
anticancer drugs in Europe, have discovered
and developed a new molecule that is active
against tumour cells. Oncological research is
focusing more and more on targeted
therapies for cancer and the NMS’ molecule
is a low molecular weight inhibitor of Cdc7, a
kinase previously identified by NMS’
scientists as being responsible for the
uncontrolled proliferation of tumours.
This discovery was presented and discussed
at the Annual Meeting of the American
Association for Cancer Research held in San
Diego. The AACR is the most important
international congress for the presentation
of new knowledge and new experimental
cancer drugs.
The pre-clinical results generated by NMS’
scientists indicate that this Cdc7 inhibitor
blocks uncontrolled proliferation of cancer
cells and induces cell death by apoptosis.
The compound is efficacious on cancers cells
of various origins, including those resistant
to the tumour replication inhibitors already
on the market. The clinical trials for the Cdc7
inhibitor will start in the next few months in
a variety of human tumours, including ovary,
colon and breast cancers along with various
forms of leukaemia. |
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