Microwave-assisted extraction from materials containing organic matter
AssigneeHer Majesty the Queen in right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of the Environment
InventorJ. R. Jocelyn Pare
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Abstract
There is disclosed a method and apparatus for extraction of various substances from plant and animal and other material containing organic matter by exposure to microwave energy. The method involves exposure to microwaves of the material containing organic matter and a component which absorbs microwaves to disrupt the microstructure and to extract the substances into a suitable non-aqueous organic medium after disruption of the microstructure. The apparatus includes microwave applicators, solvent and starting material storage means and multiple stages of treatment resulting in a high quality extracted product.
Claims20
A method of treating materials comprising organic matter to disrupt the microstructure thereof, said materials having therein a substance which is difficult to access for extraction, which comprises:
- (a) providing a source material to be treated in which the material includes organic matter and has at least one component which absorbs microwave radiation;
- (b) mixing the material with a solvent which is relatively transparent, compared to the material to be treated, to microwave radiation;
- and
- (c) exposing the resulting mixture to microwave radiation until access to said substance by the solvent is facilitated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.