Faculty Mentor
Abbas Shilabin
Mentor Home Department
Chemistry
Short Abstract
Sandalwood oil is a high-value essential oil extracted from the heartwood of East Indian Sandalwood (Santalum album) and Australian Sandalwood (Santalum Spicatum) and is prominent in numerous luxury perfume brands due to its exotic, versatile, and pleasant fragrance. α-Santalol, the main aromatic constituent in S. album and S. spicatum, exhibits anti-aging, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and potential anti-cancer properties, accounting for the oil’s medicinal and dermatologic applications. High demand of the oil resulted in excessive harvesting of sandalwood trees, necessitating a need to develop more efficient and sustainable extraction methods. This study investigates the efficiency of traditional extraction methods of sandalwood oil including solvent extraction, steam distillation, and hydro-distillation. Three trials of solvent extraction were conducted using S. album heartwood powder (20 g) in 95% ethanol, hexane, and toluene using the Soxhlet apparatus. Oil isolation was achieved through rotary evaporation. Steam and hydro-distillation were conducted using a 50 g and 20 g sample, respectively, of S. album heartwood powder. The organic layers were isolated using a separatory funnel in a dichloromethane:methanol solution (3:1). The remaining moisture was removed using anhydrous sodium sulfate. Analysis of the oil extracts by gas chromatography mass spectroscopy (GCMS) afforded the major constituents; α-santalol, Z-α-trans-bergamotol, epi-β-santalol, and β-santalol. The steam distillation oil extract retained the most pleasant aroma, which was characterized by a soft, woody fragrance with warm, nutty traces. Hydro-distillation yielded the least amount of oil; however, the oil retained a pleasant aroma. The efficiency of steam distillation was further improved using the Clevenger apparatus, which enabled continuous distillation through recyclization of the solvent. Two trials of steam distillation using the Clevenger apparatus were conducted with 187 g and 150 g of S. album heartwood powder with batch times of 20 and 24 hours, respectively. Trials one and two afforded an oil yield of 2.1577 g (1.15%) and 4.3136 g (2.88%), respectively. GCMS analysis of the extracts resulted in the expected major constituents, with slightly varied composition of α/β-santalol. The first extract composed of 55.14% α-santalol and 22.58% β-santalol, and the second extract composed of 54.65% α-santalol and 25.72% β-santalol. Comparative investigations between S. album and S. spicatum were conducted through steam distillation using the Clevenger apparatus using S. spicatum heartwood powder (200 g) with a batch time of 16.5 hours, which afforded an oil yield of 2.3035 g (1.15%). GCMS analysis resulted in the major constituents α-santalol (41.29%), α-bisabolol (12.53%), Z-α-trans-bergamotol (7.59%), β-santalol (16.55%), and E-nuciferol (8.43%), which accounts for a sharper woody aroma. Pre-purification of α/β-santalol is currently being conducted using the Krugelrohr vacuum distillation, and further purification will be conducted using flash column chromatography. Positive experimental results would provide a more efficient method for sandalwood oil production, to support the high demand of the oil, and allowing for further investigation of the medicinal applications of α-santalol.
Category
Science, Technology and Engineering
Start Date
5-4-2024 1:30 PM
End Date
5-4-2024 2:30 PM
Location
D.P. Culp Center Room 219
Included in
Extraction of Sandalwood Essential Oil: Isolating α/β-Santalol
D.P. Culp Center Room 219
Sandalwood oil is a high-value essential oil extracted from the heartwood of East Indian Sandalwood (Santalum album) and Australian Sandalwood (Santalum Spicatum) and is prominent in numerous luxury perfume brands due to its exotic, versatile, and pleasant fragrance. α-Santalol, the main aromatic constituent in S. album and S. spicatum, exhibits anti-aging, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and potential anti-cancer properties, accounting for the oil’s medicinal and dermatologic applications. High demand of the oil resulted in excessive harvesting of sandalwood trees, necessitating a need to develop more efficient and sustainable extraction methods. This study investigates the efficiency of traditional extraction methods of sandalwood oil including solvent extraction, steam distillation, and hydro-distillation. Three trials of solvent extraction were conducted using S. album heartwood powder (20 g) in 95% ethanol, hexane, and toluene using the Soxhlet apparatus. Oil isolation was achieved through rotary evaporation. Steam and hydro-distillation were conducted using a 50 g and 20 g sample, respectively, of S. album heartwood powder. The organic layers were isolated using a separatory funnel in a dichloromethane:methanol solution (3:1). The remaining moisture was removed using anhydrous sodium sulfate. Analysis of the oil extracts by gas chromatography mass spectroscopy (GCMS) afforded the major constituents; α-santalol, Z-α-trans-bergamotol, epi-β-santalol, and β-santalol. The steam distillation oil extract retained the most pleasant aroma, which was characterized by a soft, woody fragrance with warm, nutty traces. Hydro-distillation yielded the least amount of oil; however, the oil retained a pleasant aroma. The efficiency of steam distillation was further improved using the Clevenger apparatus, which enabled continuous distillation through recyclization of the solvent. Two trials of steam distillation using the Clevenger apparatus were conducted with 187 g and 150 g of S. album heartwood powder with batch times of 20 and 24 hours, respectively. Trials one and two afforded an oil yield of 2.1577 g (1.15%) and 4.3136 g (2.88%), respectively. GCMS analysis of the extracts resulted in the expected major constituents, with slightly varied composition of α/β-santalol. The first extract composed of 55.14% α-santalol and 22.58% β-santalol, and the second extract composed of 54.65% α-santalol and 25.72% β-santalol. Comparative investigations between S. album and S. spicatum were conducted through steam distillation using the Clevenger apparatus using S. spicatum heartwood powder (200 g) with a batch time of 16.5 hours, which afforded an oil yield of 2.3035 g (1.15%). GCMS analysis resulted in the major constituents α-santalol (41.29%), α-bisabolol (12.53%), Z-α-trans-bergamotol (7.59%), β-santalol (16.55%), and E-nuciferol (8.43%), which accounts for a sharper woody aroma. Pre-purification of α/β-santalol is currently being conducted using the Krugelrohr vacuum distillation, and further purification will be conducted using flash column chromatography. Positive experimental results would provide a more efficient method for sandalwood oil production, to support the high demand of the oil, and allowing for further investigation of the medicinal applications of α-santalol.