Green Extraction Techniques

Abstract

Green extraction of natural products was and will always remain an important research subject in various fields. It is based on developing techniques that meet the six principles of eco-extraction. This concept responds to the challenges of the 21st century, aiming to protect the environment, the operator, and the consumer by reducing hazardous solvent consumption and by favoring the use of more environmentally friendly methods. In this chapter, we review the principles of eco-extraction in detail, followed by an overview of four methods widely used in extraction, namely ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), subcritical water extraction (SWE), and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE).