%0 Journal Article
%T Harnessing the Solar Energy in Extracting Essential Oil for Community Based Perfumery and Aromatherapy
%A Agnes R. Pesimo
%J Open Access Library Journal
%V 4
%N 11
%P 1-11
%@ 2333-9721
%D 2017
%I Open Access Library
%R 10.4236/oalib.1103905
%X <div style="text-align:justify;">
	<span style="line-height:1.5;">The study is focused on the use of solar energy in
extracting essential oil as alternative process of extracting essential oil. In
particular, it determined the rate of extraction and percent yield at normal
temperature and weather condition. Four kinds of plant samples with known
aromatic characters and pharmaceutical importance, Sambong (</span><i style="line-height:1.5;">Conyza balsamifera </i><span style="line-height:1.5;">Linn), Oregano (</span><i style="line-height:1.5;">Plectranthus
amboinicus,</i><i style="line-height:1.5;"> Lour.</i><span style="line-height:1.5;">), Lem</span><span style="line-height:1.5;">ongrass (</span><i style="line-height:1.5;">Cymbopogon
citrates</i><span style="line-height:1.5;">)</span><i style="line-height:1.5;"> and </i><span style="line-height:1.5;">Roses
(</span><i style="line-height:1.5;">Rosa</i><i style="line-height:1.5;"> damascena</i><span style="line-height:1.5;">) were used as
samples. The plant samples were air dried and weighed and then transferred to
the designed solar essential oil extractor. The rate of extraction was measured
in terms of the volume of plant extract per day expressed in ml/day and the
percent yield was measured in terms of the ratio between volume of plant
extracts and the mass of plant samples multiplied by 100%. Results showed that
it is possible to extract essential oil from plants using the sun as source of
energy. The rate of extraction varies with the plant samples with </span><i style="line-height:1.5;">oregano</i><span style="line-height:1.5;"> as the fastest (3.4 ml/day) and
rose petals the slowest (1.8 ml/day). The essential oil extraction process can
last for 9 days. The percent yield of plant extracts varies with the kind of
plant samples with sambong (</span><i style="line-height:1.5;">Conyza balsamifera </i><span style="line-height:1.5;">Linn)</span><i style="line-height:1.5;"> </i><span style="line-height:1.5;">having the highest percent yield (72%) and rose petals (</span><i style="line-height:1.5;">Rosa</i><i style="line-height:1.5;"> damascena</i><span style="line-height:1.5;">) the lowest (18.5%).</span>
</div>
%K Harnessing
%K Solar Energy
%K Essential Oil
%K Community Base
%K Perfumery and Aromatherapy
%U http://www.oalib.com/paper/5289664