Cold Plasma-Assisted Extraction of Essential Oil: Method and Extraction
摘要
Cold plasma-assisted extraction has emerged as a novel, efficient, and sustainable approach for obtaining essential oils, offering significant advantages over conventional methods. Essential oils valued for their aromatic and therapeutic properties are widely utilized in pharmaceuticals, food, cosmetics and aromatherapy. Traditional extraction methods, such as steam distillation and solvent extraction, often face challenges such as thermal degradation, prolonged processing times, and environmental concerns. Cold plasma technology, a nonthermal technique, utilizes reactive species to disrupt plant cell walls, enhancing the release of essential oils while preserving their bioactivity and quality. This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of cold plasma-assisted extraction, detailing its mechanisms, advantages, and potential applications. It highlights how this technology minimizes energy consumption, reduces processing times, and ensures selective extraction of bioactive compounds. The limitations, including initial setup costs and scaling challenges, are also discussed, alongside future prospects for industrial adoption. By addressing the growing demand for sustainable and efficient extraction techniques, cold plasma technology represents a promising advancement in essential oil recovery, aligning with the increasing consumer preference for natural and eco-friendly products.