Optimization of eugenol production from cloves using taguchi design of experiments

Abstract

This work study the application of Taguchi method and factorial design of experiment for modeling and optimization of the influence of some variables in the extraction of essential oil of cloves by a lab scale microwave. This methodology was compared with conventional methods such as hydrodistillation, steam distillation, continuous solid-liquid extraction. Subsequently, the eugenol present in clove oil was isolated, purified and characterized by gas chromatography. Results showed that the yields obtained by microwave are highest respect to others methods being the optimum conditions to produce a 92.4 % of yield of eugenol a temperature of 70x0, with a stirring of 480 rpm, in 25 minutes of process, using ethanol as solvent and a relation liquid-solid of 19 mL/mg.