Superheated water extraction of essential oils of Origanum micranthum

Superheated water extraction is used to extract essential oil of leaves of Origanum micranthum. The effect of different temperatures on the essential oil profile and rate of extraction as a function of time is investigated. The components of essential oil of Origanum micranthum are removed from the aqueous extract by C18 solid-phase extraction. The identification of components is carried out using comprehensive gas chromatography-time of flight-mass spectrometry. The number of extracted components is almost the same; however, the concentrations change with changing temperature. The highest yield (0.64%) is found at a temperature of 150°C, 2 mL/min and 60 bar for 30 min. The increasing temperature from 100°C to 175°C increased the rate of extraction of six selected components of essential oil of Origanum micranthum. cis-Sabinenehydrate exhibits the fastest rate of extraction at all temperatures studied. Some degradation products are observed at a temperature of 175°C.