Analysis of Blue Chamomile Essential Oil produced by multi-solvent Solvent Extraction Clevenger Distillation Method

Joseph Mwaniki; Fredrick Mwazighe; Geoffrey Kamau

Joseph Mwaniki Department of Chemistry, University of Nairobi
Fredrick Mwazighe Department of Chemistry, University of Nairobi
Geoffrey Kamau Department of Chemistry, University of Nairobi

Keywords: Chamomile, SECD, Solvent extraction, Clevenger

Abstract

Blue colored essential oil samples were obtained from chamomile flowers by a Solvent Extraction Clevenger Distillation (SECD) method and by the standard Clevenger distillation of Chamomile flowers. The solvents used were hexane, acetone, dichloromethane (DCM), ethyl acetate and methanol. The solvents were evaluated in terms of the yield of extract, and the quality of extract (determined by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry). Of all the SECD extracts, the DCM extract gave the highest yield of the essential oil while the hexane extract gave the lowest yield of the blue essential oil.