Distillation is an ancient process which separates mixtures by using the relative boiling points of two substances. It is proved that the distillation process has been used by experimentalists from very earliest times. Aristotle explained the use of distillation form extraction of pure water by evap Contact online >>
Distillation is an ancient process which separates mixtures by using the relative boiling points of two substances. It is proved that the distillation process has been used by experimentalists from very earliest times. Aristotle explained the use of distillation form extraction of pure water by evaporating seas water [1]. As the distillation process is based on the difference in different physical properties as boiling points, vapour pressure and volatility, and then it is a physical process instead of chemical.
Two liquids having a boilingpoint difference of 25 degree Celsius or more are usually well separated bydistillation. In case of substances which are non-volatile in nature,distillation is used to separate a liquid from that compound by using the propertyof viscosity.
The basic principle behind it is; heating a mixture till the boiling point of volatile compounds and vapors or gas produced by this process are collected back by condensation [2].
Steam distillation is used to distil compounds at a temperature lower than the normal boiling point. In this method, the desired material distilled at a temperature of fewer than 100 degrees [3].
In this way it is possible to obtain a greater percentage of one of the two liquids in the condensate. We can repeat this operation time and time again to separate more and more liquid from the other one [4].
Different modifications are made in steam distillation apparatus to get our desired results in separating different types of substances. Some of these modifications are discussed as under [5]:
In External steam distillation, Steam is generated outside the tankin a steam generator or some boiler. The Sample to be extracted or separated issupported above the steam inlet. Standard apparatus used in external steamdistillation is shown in figure 2.
This is a relatively simple type of steam distillation and is used in various organic chemistry laboratories. In this method, substance to be separated and water is placed in a flask and thus steam source is present inside the apparatus. The standard apparatus used for internal steam distillation is explained in figure 3.
Microwave assisted steam distillation (MSD) is improved distillation technique which was produced to extract flavours from plant material. This method involves combination of steam distillation technique and microwave heating technique. This technique helps in initiation and further increasing in size of production of substance [8].
To avoid damage to the sample (to be distilled) by continuous intact with water, a new modification in steam distillation was made and it is called water and steam distillation. It involve the transfer of heat from steam to the material to be distilled and release of end product. After that, these prepared end product molecules are caught by vapor flow produced by water and as a result, a mixture of water and end product plus water is formed. These vapors are then shifted to the condenser to get the end product in pure form. [9]
In case of external steam distillation, Dry steam is passed out through material to be distilled (especially plants) and after that, the steam volatile compounds are volatized, condensed and collected [11].
In case of internal steamdistillation, the water along with material to be distilled is boiled and theresultant vapours contain both water and the volatile component.
So, basic principle involves the interactionof steam with material to be distilled to push out volatile components fromcells. Major example of using this procedure is to get essential oils fromaromatic plants and certain useful nutrients from plants.
Three major physiochemicalprocesses involved in almost all steam distillations procedures. Theseprocesses define the advantages and disadvantages of this very procedure. Takingexample of plant cells having essential oils are as follows:
Steam once comes near plant cells, triggers the process of osmosiswithin the plant cell. This starts when, the system achieves temperature equalto the boiling point of water, a part of volatile oil dissolves in the waterpresent within the glands containing essential oils, and this oil-watersolution permeates, by osmosis, the swollen membranes and finally reaches theouter surface, where the oil is vaporized by passing steam. For betterproduction following this process, it is necessary to thorough mix substance tobe distilled with water before starting the procedure.
After Diffusion, the process ofhydrolysis is started. In this context, hydrolysis means the reaction of waterwith certain constituents of essential oils. For example, Esters in the presenceof water at high temperatures tend to react with water to form acids andalcohols. This by-product reduces the yield of the desired compound i.e.essential oil.
This leads to the major drawback ofsteam distillation as by increasing amount to water, the amount of by-productsproduction is also increased which reduces the yield and increases theprocessing time. This problem can be solved by using a lower amount of water aspossible.
Almost all components of essentialoils are unstable at higher temperatures, so to avoid decomposition by heat,the distillation should be performed at lower temperatures and this lowertemperature should be maintained.
Essential oils are highly volatile substances isolated by different physical processes from an odoriferous plant of a single botanical species. The oil bears the name of the plant from which it is derived; for example, Rose oil or peppermint oil. Such oils were called essential because they were thought to represent the very essence of odor and flavor. Different methods of steam distillations are used for this purpose at a small scale level as well at the industrial level [13].
Steam distillations used forpurification of fatty acids from last many years. It is also used fordetermination of a certain amount of fatty acids in a compound.
Steam distillation is the most widely used method for theextraction of essential oils and isolation of petroleum components. Proper selection of the distillationtechnique, play a vital role in determining the quality and yield of endproducts. Various modifications in this technique are helping scientists ingetting better yield and good quality product in lesser time.
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