INTSUPECO2 · Integration model of two supercritical CO2-based processes: encapsulation and impregnation on/of lipidic matrices
FP6 — Marie Curie Actions (Human Resources and Mobility)
- Duration
- 2007-02-01 → 2008-02-29
- EU contribution
- €130,437
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- EIF
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Results in brief
Final Activity Report Summary - INTSUPECO2 (Integration model of two supercritical CO2-based processes: encapsulation and impregnation on/of lipidic matrices)
Carbon dioxide at high pressures and temperatures just above room temperature can be used as a solvent. It has been particularly useful to extract natural compounds from plant materials and, subsequently, to formulate these compounds into products. This project focused on two target compounds: solanesol from tobacco leaves, and policosanols from sugar cane. Solanesol is a biochemical precursor of the well-known coenzyme Q10, an anti-oxidant used in cosmetics, functional foods and food additives. It is abundant in tobacco leaves, but before being used, it must of course be separated from nicotine. This project optimized conditions to extract solanesol from tobacco leaves with minimum co-extraction of nicotine. A new process was also invented to separate the small remaining quantities of nicotine from solanesol. As to policosanols, they are in fact a family of 'long chain alcohols' (solid, waxi compounds). They are also used as food additives due their beneficial properties (they are thought to lower cholesterol and triglyceride in blood). They are difficult to dissolve in most normal solvents (water and ethanol, for instance). In this project, a new combination of processes was studied, whereby an organic solvent was used to extract policosanols from sugar-cane molasses, and high pressure carbon dioxide was used as an anti-solvent to precipitate them from the solution as a solid powder.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
This research proposal is focus on the integration of different high-pressure CO2-based processes: extraction / fractionation with CO2-assisted impregnation of polymers.Two case studies, with a high potential for commercial application as nutraceuticals (according to preliminary studies carried out at the host laboratory) will be addressed:- Coenzyme Q10 extraction from tobacco leaves and encapsulation in polyethyleneglycols. Coenzyme Q10 play an important role in cell respiration, electron transfer, ATP production, and modulation of oxidative reactions acting as antioxidant. It is actually synthesized and used for cosmetics or medicinal purposes.- Policosanol extraction from sugar cane molasses and impregnation of lipidic matrices. Policosanols are also widely used as nutraceuticals due to their beneficial properties as cholesterol and triglyceride lowering compounds.Firstly (as WP 1), Coenzyme Q10 and precursor molecules, such as solanesol will be extracted from tobacco leaves and separated (concomitant with extraction) from nicotine. Purified extracts will be encapsulated in polyethylene glycol.Secondly (WP 2), hydroalcoholic extractions of policosanols from sugar-cane molasses will be performed followed by fractionation in counter current CO2 columns and impregnation of lipidic solids.The final step will be common and up scaled for both 1 and 2 processes (WP3), namely the incorporation of both type of extracts into melts and particle formation by rapid expansion (pilot plant scale).Therefore, extraction and impregnation or encapsulation would be performed in a continuous way (GRAS, no CO2 disrupted to the atmosphere, no use of organic solvents).This means that the developed process might substitute the tedious, chemical- and time-consuming protocols utilized nowadays.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- FACULDADE DE CI?CIAS E TECNOLOGIA, UNIVERSIDADE NOVA DE LISBOA · CAPARICACoordinatorPortugal
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union