m Khajenoori - Faculty of Chemical, Gas and Petroleum Engineering, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran
a Haghighi Asl - Faculty of Chemical, Gas and Petroleum Engineering, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran
h Noori Bidgoli - Departments of Mechanical Engineering, Kashan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kashan, Iran

Subcritical water extraction (SWE) of essential oil from Matricaria Chamomilla L. (M. Chamomilla L.) was performed and compared with conventional method including hydro distillation. Thepercentage of main extracted components at different temperatures (100, 125, 150 and 175oC) andwater flow rates (1, 2 and 4 ml/min) were investigated at 20 bar pressure and 0.50 mm mean particle size in SWE. The separation and identification of the components were carried out by gas chromatography (GC)-flame ionization detection and GC-mass spectrometry. The best operatingconditions for the SWE of M. Chamomilla L. were determined to be at the temperature of 150oC and flow rate of 4 ml/min for 120 min extraction time. In compare to hydro distillation method, the SWE method resulted in more valuable essential oil with respect to the oxygenated components

Matricaria Chamomilla L.,Subcritical Water Extraction,Essential Oils,