Efficiency Comparison of Supercritical-Co2 and Subcritical Liquefied Dimethyl Ether Extraction of Policosanol from By-Products of Sugar Mill

Abstract

Sugarcane leaves and filter mud are good sources of policosanol, a cholesterol lowering bioactive compound. Policosanol extraction efficiency by subcritical liquefied dimethyl ether (SUBDME) was compared with by supercritical fluid carbon dioxide (SF-CO2) with optimized conditions. By supercritical fluid carbon dioxide, temperature and pressure had high significant influence on policosanol contents of filter mud (p < 0.01) while pressure had significantly highest impact (p < 0.01) on policosanol contents of the leaves (p < 0.05). Compared with supercritical fluid carbon dioxide, subcritical liquefied dimethyl ether gave high extraction percentage and policosanol contents for both filter mud (3,120.95 mg/100 g) and cane leaves (2,134.27 mg/100 g). Policosanol extracted by subcritical liquefied dimethyl ether were 3.9 and 2.8 times higher than by supercritical fluid for filter mud and cane leaves, respectively. The subcritical liquefied dimethyl ether had abilities to change industrial waste to high value nutraceuticals compared with supercritical fluid carbon dioxide.

Keywords: Green extraction technology, Filter mud, Cane leaves, Cholesterol lowering compound, Box-Behnken experimental design