CHAMOMILE ESSENTIAL OILS EXTRACTED FROM FLOWER HEADS AND RECOVERED WATER DURING DRYING PROCESS

Abstract

ABSTRACT Yield and chemical composition of chamomile (Chamomilla recutita[L.] Rauschert) essential oils were periodically monitored during a drying process at 80C. Simultaneous to the drying, the substances dragged by the water column were recovered by condensation. Hydrodistillation and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses were conducted, and data were analyzed using polynomial regressions (P < 0.01). The evaluation of chamomile drying process in a fixed layer showed that the reduction of water content was progressive in a whole drying process, while the essential oil reduction was more pointed in the beginning. The identified essential oil components were alpha-pinene, artemisia ketone, 3-carene, azulene, caryophylene, caryophylene oxide, alpha-farnesene, gamma-muurolene, bisabolol oxide B, alpha-bisabolol, bisabolene, chamazulene and bisabolol oxide. It was possible to recover the part of volatilized substances (6.6%) under the drying temperature of 80C. Recovered aromatic water was composed of artemisia ketona, bisabolol oxide B, alpha-bisabolol, bisabolene oxide, bisabolol oxide-A, whereas only a reduction in chamazulene concentration was significant. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS The study of chamomile drying process contributes to the comprehension of some physical, chemical and biological phenomena, and establishes some relationships involving them, enhancing the interest of science about medicinal, aromatic and condiment plants. The processes of exhaustion and water vapor condensation occurring simultaneously to drying enable to obtain the condensate of potentially therapeutic properties, as a commercially rentable option for producers. However, the necessity of an adjustment in the recuperation of the condensate is imposed, considering that only 6.6% was recovered. We believe that a greater efficiency of this process could be reached by adjustments of exhauster system dimensioning, condensation and cooling. Furthermore, the shortening of condensation period coupled with an increased temperature of drying could be tested in order to reduce the losses of therapeutic volatiles.