System and method for continuous microwave-assisted extraction of bioactive agents from biomass
AssigneesSinnovatek, Inc., North Carolina State University
InventorsMichael Druga, Amanda Vargochik, Josip Simunovic
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Abstract
The presently disclosed subject matter is directed to a method of extracting bioactive agents from biomass using continuous microwave-assisted extraction. The disclosed method includes contacting the biomass with a solvent and optionally homogenizing the biomass. Then blending the biomass and the solvent and continuously passing the biomass though one more microwave assisted extraction units, thereby exposing the biomass to microwave energy. The solvent is separated from the biomass, where the separated solvent is the bioactive agent.
Claims18
A method of extracting one or more bioactive agents from biomass, the method comprising:
- blending the biomass and the one or more bioactive agents;
- continuously passing the biomass though one or more microwave assisted extraction units, thereby exposing the biomass to microwave energy;
- and
- separating the one or more bioactive agents from the biomass using the one or more microwave assisted extraction units that use the polarity of water in the subcritical range in lieu of chemical solvents to extract the one or more bioactive agents from the biomass.
A continuous microwave assisted extraction method comprising:
- extracting one or more bioactive agents from biomass at one or more flow-through microwave processing units in lieu of chemical solvents, wherein at least one of the one or more flow-through microwave processing units is a subcritical water microwave assisted extraction unit that uses a polarity of water in a subcritical range, wherein the extraction system is configured to provide for continuous extraction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.