Chamomile is a classic botanical widely used in cosmetics, nutraceuticals, and pharmaceutical formulations. Its key bioactive compounds—such as chamazulene, α-bisabolol, and apigenin—have well-known soothing, anti-inflammatory, and skin-repairing properties. However, these ingredients are highly heat-sensitive and vulnerable to solvent residues. Traditional solvent extraction methods often fail to ensure high purity, safety, and activity preservation at the same time. As a result, supercritical CO2 extraction has increasingly become the preferred technology in the industry.
1. Raw Material Pretreatment: Moisture Control Is Critical
To obtain a stable extract rich in active compounds, freshly harvested chamomile flowers must be naturally shade-dried to a moisture content of ≤20%. This ensures:
- Preventing reduced extraction efficiency caused by excessive moisture
- Minimizing thermal degradation
- Improving the release of target compounds during extraction
The dried chamomile is then milled and sieved through 20–60 mesh, ensuring uniform particle size and sufficient contact surface for CO2 penetration and dissolution.
2. Supercritical CO2 Extraction: Low-Temperature, Efficient, and Solvent-Free
The pretreated material is loaded into the extractor, and CO2 is introduced at a flow rate of 20–60 L/h. Under specific pressure and temperature conditions, CO2 enters the supercritical phase, exhibiting both gas-like diffusivity and liquid-like solvency—making it an ideal “green solvent” for natural product extraction.
A small amount of ethanol (0.2–2 L/h) is added as a co-solvent to enhance the solubility of polar active compounds.
Extraction conditions:
- Temperature: 30–60°C (protecting heat-sensitive components)
- Pressure: 9–16 MPa
- Time: 1–3.5 hours
This process enables simultaneous extraction of volatile essential oils and pharmacologically active compounds, resulting in a more complete and balanced chamomile extract profile.
3. Precision Separation for High-Purity Extracts
The collected extract mixture passes through a column-type separator, where the extract is separated from water and residual ethanol. The resulting mixture is then processed using a low-temperature vacuum concentration system, operated at 0.04–0.09 MPa and 20–55°C to remove water and recover ethanol.
The gentle, low-temperature workflow preserves the integrity of chamomile’s active compounds and ensures high purity.
4. Green, Safe, and Suitable for Industrial Production
Supercritical CO2 extraction offers several key advantages:
- • Non-toxic and solvent-free
- • Low-temperature process preserves sensitive compounds
- • High extraction efficiency (chamomile extract yield ~2.8%)
• CO2 is recyclable, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective. Compared with traditional solvent extraction, supercritical CO2 delivers superior safety, consistency, and product quality—making it ideal for high-end cosmetics, medical-grade raw materials, and industrial production of natural active compounds.
For more information on extracting essential oils from various aromatic plants, please refer to our guide on
supercritical CO2 extraction of essential oils from common aromatic plants.
FAQ
❓ What is chamomile supercritical CO2 extraction?
It is a clean, solvent-free extraction technology that uses CO2 under supercritical conditions to efficiently extract chamomile`s active compounds while preserving their heat sensitivity.
❓ Why is supercritical CO2 better than solvent extraction for chamomile?
Because it avoids solvent residues, operates at low temperatures, and preserves delicate actives such as chamazulene,
α
-bisabolol, and apigenin.
❓ What moisture content is ideal for chamomile before CO2 extraction?
Chamomile flowers should be dried to ≤20 % moisture to ensure good extraction efficiency and stable product quality.
❓ Does CO2 extraction affect the aroma or quality of chamomile oil?
No. CO2 extraction actually improves aroma and purity because it avoids heat degradation and does not introduce foreign solvents.
❓ Is CO2-extracted chamomile suitable for cosmetics and pharmaceuticals?
Yes. Due to its purity, safety, and solvent-free nature, CO2 chamomile extract is widely used in skincare, health supplements, and medical-grade formulations.
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