Enhanced extraction of Schinus molle L. volatile compounds using sustainable solvents
Résumé
Since the development of sustainable chemistry concept, the chemistry sector is on a quest to find greener alternatives to conventional industrial solvents. In the field of extraction, ionic liquids (IL) and deep eutectic solvents (DES) stand out as potential eco-friendly replacements. This work reports extraction of volatile compounds from rose pepper (Schinus molle L.) leaves and fruits through maceration and hydrodistillation techniques using one DES and three ILs as co-solvents. The extraction efficiency of these solvents was evaluated using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC–MS). Notably, DES composed with choline chloride and citric acid (ChCl:CitA) was found to enhance significantly the extraction yield and to isolate a broader spectrum of compounds. Furthermore, perfumers’ assessments indicated that co-solvent extracts possessed unique olfactory characteristics when juxtaposed with the essential oil derived from Schinus molle.