Extraction of pharmaceutical components from Ginkgo biloba leaves using supercritical carbon dioxide.

Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) has many remarkable pharmacological and clinical effects, and it is the most frequently used product as a phytomedicine in many countries. The combination of primary extraction with 70% ethanol followed by extraction using supercritical carbon dioxide provides an efficient and economical means for obtaining flavonoids and terpenoids from Ginkgo biloba leaves. The supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) is affected by pressure, temperature, and the concentration of modifier in the extractant. At the most favorable experimental conditions of 300 MPa, 60 degrees C, and carbon dioxide containing 5% ethanol as modifier, the yield of GBE powder is 2.1% (based on the air-dry weight of Ginkgo biloba leaves) compared to a yield of only 1.8% by conventional solvent extraction. The contents of flavonoids and terpenoids in SFE products are 35.9% and 7.3%, respectively, which are significantly higher than the general standards of 24% and 6%, respectively.

Butane extraction of model organic pollutants from water.

In this study, n-butane (n-C(4)H(10)), a by-product of the oil refining process, was used as the extractant to remove various model organic pollutants including halogenated hydrocarbons, phenols and aromatic compounds from aqueous matrices. The presence of salt, inorganic acid and dissolved organic materials in the aqueous matrix were found to have little influence on the removal efficiency. High removal efficiencies are readily achievable for a great number of organic pollutants. The removal efficiencies for hydrophobic pollutants were greater than 90% for a single stripping stage for pollutants with a distribution constants (K(D)) greater than 45 and for a n-butane to aqueous phase ratio of 1-5. Results were also reported for the removal of residual butane in treated effluent by combinations of depressurization, air stripping and elevating operating temperature.

Removal of organic contaminants from water or wastewater with liquefied gases.

This study utilized liquefied gases (LG) as extractant to remove various organic contaminants including halogenated hydrocarbons and phenols as well as aromatic compounds from aqueous matrices. Orthogonal experiments were performed to optimize the operating conditions such as temperature, co-solvents and so on. Under favorable conditions, high removal efficiencies can be readily achieved for a great number of representative model organic contaminants, the removal efficiencies for most of the hydrophobic contaminants were greater than 90% in a single extraction stage. Tentative effort was also done for the removal of extracted contaminants from recycled liquefied gases.