Using supercritical carbon dioxide as an extraction solvent has many advantages. Extraction by means of supercritical carbon dioxide improves efficiency, with shorter extraction times and simplified procedures when compared with extraction techniques that use organic solvents.

In addition, it offers easier solvent elimination and sample concentration procedures. Since the critical temperature of  CO2 is only 31ºC, extraction is done at temperatures that will not damage heat labile molecules and the absence of oxygen minimizes oxidation.

Applications for SFE include the extraction of active ingredients, including various flavors and medicinal constituents from natural product e.g. docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), advanced unsaturated fatty acids and fatty esters such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), fat-soluble vitamins and pharmaceuticals. Other applications include the elimination of unwanted constituents, such as decaffeination and desolvation in pharmaceutical tablets. It can also be applied to the pre-processing of samples prior to separation using HPLC or GC.

Supercritical Fluid Extraction System – Configuration
This system comprises a supercritical carbon dioxide pump, a modifier co-solvent pump, extraction vessel, and an automatic back pressure regulation valve. We offer a wide variety of extraction vessels in a range of different sizes and they can either be a column or cup type, depending on the physical state of the extraction sample. Extraction parameters include solvent volume, pressure, temperature and co-solvent ratio all of which can be adjusted to suit the application for optimal extraction yields.

Residual Pesticide Extraction Systems
SFE is an excellent technique for analyzing trace pesticides in soil and on food products. Residual pesticide extraction systems that use supercritical carbon dioxide are extremely versatile. JASCO has several SFC systems dedicated to residual pesticide extraction.

Extraction vessel sizes : 10 mL or 50 mL Simple patented  ‘Fasten Lock‘ attachment offers simple loading and removal for both sizes of vessel One to six vessels can be batch processed Processing method for multiple samples. Continuous processing (serial) is offered as standard. Parallel processing is supplied as an option.