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Chemical Applications of Supercritical Fluids
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Chemical Applications of Supercritical Fluids

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Green Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2022) | Viewed by 13636

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Luisella Verotta

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, via C. Golgi 19, I-20133 Milan, Italy
Interests: secondary metabolites from plants; isolation and structure elucidation; green isolation techniques; saponins; phloroglucinols; polyphenols; synthesis and semi-synthesis of natural compounds of pharmaceutical relevance; medicinal chemistry; antimicrobial; antiprotozoal and non-cytotoxic chemopreventive naturally derived compounds; biopolymers for biomedical applications; valorization of agro-industrial waste biomasses for bioactive natural products; supercritical CO2 extraction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Stefania Marzorati

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, Via Celoria, 2, 20133 Milan, Italy
Interests: bioactive compounds from agro-industrial and food wastes; supercritical CO2 extraction; green technologies; green chemistry; pigments; antioxidants; materials chemistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

According to global trends, industrial processes and academic researchers are always looking for “green” products and technologies that are able to replace conventional ones.

Over the last several decades, there has been renewed interest in supercritical fluids owing to their unique properties and relatively low environmental impact in order to overcome the concerns related to conventional solvents methodologies.

Supercritical fluids are highly compressed gases which combine the properties of gases and liquids in an intriguing manner. Fluids such as supercritical carbon dioxide offer a wide range of unusual chemical possibilities in both analytical and materials chemistry. In addition, supercritical fluids lead to reactions which are difficult or even impossible to achieve in conventional solvents. Finally, supercritical fluids enable selective extractions, opening the possibility to apply the technique in waste valorization, yielding lipophilic compounds with no need of concentration steps, and even more polar ones, with the proper addition of co-solvents.

The present Special Issue entitled “Chemical Applications of Supercritical Fluids” will gather and publish original articles and review papers regarding the use of supercritical fluids as environmentally acceptable alternatives to conventional solvents for extraction, synthetic, analytical, and materials chemistry, on the following topics:

  • Bioactives extraction with supercritical CO2;
  • Removal of pollutants/contaminants from matrices;
  • Polymerization reactions and purification of polymers;
  • Enzymatically assisted reactions;
  • Organic synthesis;
  • Extraction and purification of food supplements, nutraceuticals, and active ingredients for pharmaceuticals;
  • Precipitation/synthesis of nanostructured solids;
  • Organometallic and hydrogenation reactions;
  • Solute/supercritical fluids phase equilibria studies;
  • Mathematical modelling and design of processes.

Dr. Luisella Verotta
Dr. Stefania Marzorati
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Supercritical fluids
  • Supercritical CO2 extraction
  • Green technologies
  • Nanostructured materials
  • Enzymes-assisted reactions
  • Organic synthesis
  • Polymers

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 2773 KiB  
Article
Selective Supercritical CO2 Extraction and Biocatalytic Valorization of Cucurbita pepo L. Industrial Residuals
by Alessio Massironi, Alessandro Di Fonzo, Ivan Bassanini, Erica Elisa Ferrandi, Stefania Marzorati, Daniela Monti and Luisella Verotta
Molecules 2022, 27(15), 4783; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules27154783 - 26 Jul 2022
Viewed by 1567
Abstract
The valorization of biomass residuals constitutes a key aspect of circular economy and thus a major challenge for the scientific community. Among industrial wastes, plant residuals could represent an attractive source of bioactive compounds. In this context, a residue from the industrial extraction [...] Read more.
The valorization of biomass residuals constitutes a key aspect of circular economy and thus a major challenge for the scientific community. Among industrial wastes, plant residuals could represent an attractive source of bioactive compounds. In this context, a residue from the industrial extraction of Cucurbita pepo L. seeds, whose oil is commercialized for the treatment of genito-urinary tract pathologies, has been selected. Supercritical CO2 technology has been employed as a highly selective “green” methodology allowing the recovery of compounds without chemical degradation and limited operational costs. Free fatty acids have been collected in mild conditions while an enrichment in sterols has been selectively obtained from sc-CO2 extracts by appropriate modulation of process parameters (supercritical fluid pressure and temperature), hence demonstrating the feasibility of the technique to target added-value compounds in a selective way. Obtained fatty acids were thus converted into the corresponding ethanol carboxamide derivatives by lipase-mediated biocatalyzed reactions, while the hydroxylated derivatives of unsaturated fatty acids were obtained by stereoselective hydration reaction under reductive conditions in the presence of a selected FADH2-dependent oleate hydratase. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Applications of Supercritical Fluids)
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12 pages, 1016 KiB  
Article
Supercritical CO2 Extraction of Triterpenoids from Chaga Sterile Conk of Inonotus obliquus
by Nghia Huynh, Gabriele Beltrame, Marko Tarvainen, Jukka-Pekka Suomela and Baoru Yang
Molecules 2022, 27(6), 1880; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules27061880 - 14 Mar 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2541
Abstract
Triterpenoids are among the bioactive components of Chaga, the sterile conk of the medicinal fungus Inonotus obliquus. Supercritical fluid extraction of Chaga triterpenoids was carried out with supercritical CO2, while a modified Folch method was used as a comparison. Three [...] Read more.
Triterpenoids are among the bioactive components of Chaga, the sterile conk of the medicinal fungus Inonotus obliquus. Supercritical fluid extraction of Chaga triterpenoids was carried out with supercritical CO2, while a modified Folch method was used as a comparison. Three temperature-pressure combinations were tested varying between 314–324 K (40–50 °C) and 281–350 bars, using time- and volume-limited extractions. Six triterpenoids were identified with GC-MS and quantified with GC-FID: ergosterol, lanosterol, β-sitosterol, stigmastanol, betulin, and inotodiol. The Folch extraction resulted in recovery of trametenolic acid, which was not extracted by supercritical CO2. Inotodiol was the major triterpenoid of all the extracts, with a yield of 87–101 mg/100 g and 139 mg/100 g, for SFEs and the Folch method, respectively. The contents of other major triterpenoids, lanosterol and ergosterol, varied in the ranges 59–63 mg/100 g and 17–18 mg/100 g by SFE, respectively. With the Folch method, the yields were 81 mg/100 g and 40 mg/100 g, respectively. The highest recovery of triterpenoids with SFE in relation to Folch was 56% and it was obtained at 324 K (50 °C) and 350 bar, regardless of extraction time or volume of CO2. The recoveries of lanosterol and stigmastanol were unaffected by SFE conditions. Despite the lower yield, SFE showed several advantages including shorter extraction time and less impact on the environment. This work could be a starting point for further studies on green extraction methods of bioactive triterpenoids from Chaga. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Applications of Supercritical Fluids)
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29 pages, 24985 KiB  
Article
Molecular Distillation of Lavender Supercritical Extracts: Physicochemical and Antimicrobial Characterization of Feedstocks and Assessment of Distillates Enriched with Oxygenated Fragrance Components
by Agnieszka Dębczak, Katarzyna Tyśkiewicz, Zygmunt Fekner, Piotr Kamiński, Grzegorz Florkowski, Marcin Konkol, Edward Rój, Agnieszka Grzegorczyk and Anna Malm
Molecules 2022, 27(5), 1470; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules27051470 - 22 Feb 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3011
Abstract
Lavandula angustifolia is one of the most widely cultivated non-food crops used in the production of essential oil; it is used in perfumery, aromatherapy, pharmaceutical preparations, and food ingredients. In this study, supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and molecular distillation (MD) were combined, primarily [...] Read more.
Lavandula angustifolia is one of the most widely cultivated non-food crops used in the production of essential oil; it is used in perfumery, aromatherapy, pharmaceutical preparations, and food ingredients. In this study, supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and molecular distillation (MD) were combined, primarily to enrich scCO2 extracts with lavender oxygenated monoterpenes, avoiding thermal degradation, hydrolysis, and solvent contamination, and maintaining the natural characteristics of the obtained oils. Molecular distillation was developed for the first time for the extraction of crucial lavender fragrance ingredients, i.e., from two scCO2 extracts obtained from dry flower stems of lavender cultivated in Poland and Bulgaria. The best results for high-quality distillates were obtained at 85 °C (EVT) and confirmed that linalyl acetate content increased from 51.54 mg/g (initial Bulgarian lavender extract, L-Bg-E) and 89.53 mg/g (initial Polish lavender extract, L-Pl-E) to 118.41 and 185.42 mg/g, respectively, corresponding to increases of 2.3 and 2.1 times in both distillate streams, respectively. The distillates, light oils, and extracts from lavender were also evaluated for their antimicrobial properties by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) by the broth microdilution method. Generally, Gram-positive bacteria and Candida spp. were more sensitive to all distilled fractions and extracts than Escherichia coli (Gram-negative bacteria). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Applications of Supercritical Fluids)
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19 pages, 2457 KiB  
Article
Supercritical CO2 Extraction of Palladium Oxide from an Aluminosilicate-Supported Catalyst Enhanced by a Combination of Complexing Polymers and Piperidine
by Andrea Ruiu, Bernhard Bauer-Siebenlist, Marin Senila, W. S. Jennifer Li, Karine Seaudeau-Pirouley, Patrick Lacroix-Desmazes and Thorsten Jänisch
Molecules 2021, 26(3), 684; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26030684 - 28 Jan 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2053
Abstract
Precious metals, in particular Pd, have a wide range of applications in industry. Due to their scarcity, precious metals have to be recycled, preferably with green and energy-saving recycling processes. In this article, palladium extraction from an aluminosilicate-supported catalyst, containing about 2 wt% [...] Read more.
Precious metals, in particular Pd, have a wide range of applications in industry. Due to their scarcity, precious metals have to be recycled, preferably with green and energy-saving recycling processes. In this article, palladium extraction from an aluminosilicate-supported catalyst, containing about 2 wt% (weight%) of Pd (100% PdO), with supercritical CO2 (scCO2) assisted by complexing polymers is described. Two polymers, p(FDA)SH homopolymer and p(FDA-co-DPPS) copolymer (FDA: 1,1,2,2-tetrahydroperfluorodecyl acrylate; DPPS: 4-(diphenylphosphino)styrene), were tested with regards to their ability to extract palladium. Both polymers showed relatively low extraction conversions of approximately 18% and 30%, respectively. However, the addition of piperidine as activator for p(FDA-co-DPPS) allowed for an increase in the extraction conversion of up to 60%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Applications of Supercritical Fluids)
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17 pages, 1924 KiB  
Article
Effect of CO2 Flow Rate on the Extraction of Astaxanthin and Fatty Acids from Haematococcus pluvialis Using Supercritical Fluid Technology
by Carolina Espinosa Álvarez, Renata Vardanega, Francisca Salinas-Fuentes, Jenifer Palma Ramírez, Waldo Bugueño Muñoz, Diana Jiménez-Rondón, M. Angela A. Meireles, Pedro Cerezal Mezquita and Mari Carmen Ruiz-Domínguez
Molecules 2020, 25(24), 6044; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules25246044 - 21 Dec 2020
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 3477
Abstract
Haematococcus pluvialis is the largest producer of natural astaxanthin in the world. Astaxanthin is a bioactive compound used in food, feed, nutraceutics, and cosmetics. In this study, astaxanthin extraction from H. pluvialis by supercritical fluid extraction was evaluated. The effects of temperature (40 [...] Read more.
Haematococcus pluvialis is the largest producer of natural astaxanthin in the world. Astaxanthin is a bioactive compound used in food, feed, nutraceutics, and cosmetics. In this study, astaxanthin extraction from H. pluvialis by supercritical fluid extraction was evaluated. The effects of temperature (40 and 50 °C), pressure (40 and 50 MPa), and CO2 flow rate (2 and 4 L/min) were investigated. The results showed that the highest astaxanthin recovery was obtained at 50 °C/50 MPa and the CO2 flow rates evaluated had no significant effect. It was possible to achieve astaxanthin recoveries of 95% after 175 min for a CO2 flow rate of 2 L/min, and 95 min for CO2 flow rate of 4 L/min. The ω-6/ω-3 ratios obtained were similar in all conditions, reaching 0.87, demonstrating that the extracts from H. pluvialis by SFE are rich in unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) which increases their positive effects when used as a functional ingredient in food. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Applications of Supercritical Fluids)
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