"Principle" Ultrasonic Extraction

Ultrasonic extraction and its operating principle

Ultrasounds have a great mechanical effect (with a frequency greater than 20 KHz, and less than 100 Khz, and inaudible to the human ear) and exert shock waves and hydrodynamic force towards the solid surface, increasing the great penetration of the solvent, ultrasonic extraction is therefore the preferred technique for isolating bioactive compounds from plants.
The "sonication" achieves a complete extraction, and therefore higher yields of the extract are obtained in very short extraction times.
As this is such an efficient extraction method, ultrasonic extraction saves time and money by producing high quality extracts, which are used for food, supplements and pharmaceuticals.

Ultrasonic extraction

Ultrasonic extraction is used in the food industry, food supplements and the pharmaceutical industry to release bioactive compounds such as vitamins, polyphenols, polysaccharides, cannabinoids and other phytochemicals from plant products.
This extraction methodology is assisted by ultrasounds, and is based on the operating principle of acoustic or ultrasonic cavitation.
With this technology it is also necessary to consider that the totality of the molecular material is extracted, and it is not selective , the separation of the active ingredients can be carried out with subsequent methods.

MAIN FEATURES

• The size of the particles,
• The moisture contents in the samples
• The degree of grinding
• The selection of the type of solvent

These are the most significant crucial variables that need to be optimized to achieve maximum extraction efficiency.

How does acoustic cavitation work?

Ultrasonic extraction is achieved when high-power, low-frequency ultrasonic waves are coupled into a slurry consisting of botanical material in a solvent.
The high-power ultrasonic waves are coupled via a probe-type ultrasonic processor in the sewage, highly energetic ultrasonic waves pass through the liquid creating alternating cycles of high pressure / low pressure, which results in the phenomenon of acoustic cavitation.

Acoustic or ultrasonic cavitation locally leads to extreme temperatures, pressures, heating / cooling rates, pressure differentials and high shear forces in the medium.
When cavitation bubbles implode on the surface of solids (such as particles, plant cells, tissues, etc.), the microjets and interparticle collision generate effects such as surface peeling, erosion, particle rupture, sonoporation (the perforation of cell walls and membranes cellular) and cell destruction, they also facilitate the penetration of the solvent inside the cell and improve the mass transfer between cell and solvent so that the intercellular materials are transferred into the solvent, in addition, the implosion of cavitation bubbles in the media liquids creates macro-turbulence and micro-mixing.
Ultrasound can generate very high amplitudes, which are necessary to generate impact cavitation.

Effects and Benefits of Ultrasonic Extraction

The effects and advantages that we would therefore have are cellular destruction and an increase in the mass transfer of the analytics from foods and natural products to solvents.

• High returns
• Superior quality
• Full spectrum extracts
• Quick process
• Compatibility with any solvent
• Easy and safe to use
• Linear scalability
• Environmental friendly
• Fast cycle recovery