Sustainable and Green Extraction of Citrus Peel Essential Oil using Intermittent Solvent-Free Microwave Technology

Sustainable and Green Extraction of Citrus Peel Essential Oil using Intermittent Solvent-Free Microwave Technology | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Sustainable and Green Extraction of Citrus Peel Essential Oil using Intermittent Solvent-Free Microwave Technology Yuhao Xie, Longdi Zhang, Wenting Wu, Jiahao Xie, Boliang Gao, and 2 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-5888041/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 29 May, 2025 Read the published version in Bioresources and Bioprocessing → Version 1 posted 5 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract In the present study, a novel technology called intermittent solvent-free microwave extraction (ISFME), which integrates intermittent microwave treatment with solvent-free extraction, was proposed. Taking Nanfeng citrus peel as the research object, the extraction efficiency and composition of its essential oil were evaluated and compared with conventional hydrodistillation (HD) and solvent-free microwave extraction (SFME). Results from single-factor experiments and response surface method optimization indicate that the optimal parameters for SFME are a power of 660 W, a duration of 20 min, and a water content of 60%, yielding an essential oil output of 3.47%. In contrast, the optimal parameters for ISFME, determined through single-factor experiments, are a moisture content of 50%, a power setting of 380 W, a reaction time of 6 min, a 15-min interval, and 4 reaction cycles, resulting in an essential oil yield of 3.51%. Notably, the extraction efficiencies of ISFME and SFME are significantly superior to that of HD, which requires 240 min and yields only 3.28% essential oil. Furthermore, ISFME demonstrates comparable performance to SFME in terms of reaction time, extraction rate, and oil quality, while operating at a substantially lower power requirement of 380 W compared to the 660 W needed for SFME. Additionally, the carbon dioxide emissions and energy consumption associated with ISFME are markedly lower than those of traditional methods, amounting to only one-third of the energy consumption of SFME. These findings underscore that ISFME not only enhances the efficiency and quality of essential oil extraction but also minimizes environmental impact, thereby highlighting its significant advantages in terms of sustainability and ecological responsibility. solvent-free microwave extraction essential oil Nanfeng tangerine orange peel energy consumption Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8 Full Text Additional Declarations Tables 1 to 8 are available in the Supplementary Files section. Supplementary Files 250418Table.docx 250418supplementarymaterial.docx New2.jpg Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 29 May, 2025 Read the published version in Bioresources and Bioprocessing → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Accept 05 May, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 26 Apr, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 26 Apr, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 25 Apr, 2025 First submitted to journal 22 Apr, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-5888041","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":448504891,"identity":"fd8b2d55-30c2-4ae2-92ca-d99c61a356d4","order_by":0,"name":"Yuhao Xie","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Yuhao","middleName":"","lastName":"Xie","suffix":""},{"id":448504892,"identity":"1ddc93bf-bd59-4aa9-80eb-9606f9accb62","order_by":1,"name":"Longdi Zhang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal 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%).\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5888041/v1/55169a24726c6b481c2eea60.png"},{"id":81669501,"identity":"0b240a33-efca-47a9-b5cb-ac93bd0bbc05","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-04-30 05:05:10","extension":"png","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":117362,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eResponse surface plots of the effect of SFME method variables on the yield of Nanfeng mandarin orange. a: Interaction between Power and Time on the extraction yields of Nanfeng mandarin orange, b: Interaction between Power and Moisture content on the extraction yields of Nanfeng mandarin orange, c:Interaction between Time and Moisture content on the extraction yields of Nanfeng mandarin orange.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5888041/v1/3b97b4ecdd31d37dc939d00a.png"},{"id":81669490,"identity":"cf3abeb9-193b-4bcb-8eab-b11af5d79901","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-04-30 05:05:09","extension":"png","order_by":3,"title":"Figure 3","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":76685,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eThe five main factors affecting the yield of essential oil in the ISFME method. a: moisture content (40, 50, 60, 70, 80 %), b: Power (120, 220, 380, 540, 700 W), c: Microwave interval time (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 min), d: Microwave single reaction time (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 min) and e: Number of microwave reactions (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 S).\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"3.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5888041/v1/6d91a3ff17067c3fb1640103.png"},{"id":81669431,"identity":"d919cb5f-9eff-4af9-b590-7c37d253dcf5","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-04-30 04:57:09","extension":"png","order_by":4,"title":"Figure 4","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":92398,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eResponse surface plots of the effect of ISFME method variables on the yield of Nanfeng mandarin orange. a: Interaction between Power and Microwave interval time on the extraction yields of Nanfeng mandarin orange, b: Interaction between Power and Number of microwave reactions on the extraction yields of Nanfeng mandarin orange, c:Interaction between Microwave interval time and Number of microwave reactions on the extraction yields of Nanfeng mandarin orange.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"4.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5888041/v1/b5c93ce558b384093d2434a5.png"},{"id":81670433,"identity":"61c55f55-fece-4349-ae24-8406ee3e78d0","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-04-30 05:29:09","extension":"png","order_by":5,"title":"Figure 5","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":29433,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eComparison of the yields of essential oils from various extraction methods (HD, SFME and ISFME) under optimal conditions (a) and the same extraction time (b).\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"5.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5888041/v1/96ef29872c7df78c70ba7eea.png"},{"id":81669472,"identity":"dbe76dff-fb3a-4ed1-96b0-df1cb28dfa9a","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-04-30 04:57:11","extension":"png","order_by":6,"title":"Figure 6","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":145295,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003ea: Extraction kinetics curves of different extraction methods. b: Processes SFME and ISFME (ON: Microwave on state, OFF: Microwave off state). c: Physical and chemical properties of different extraction methods.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"6.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5888041/v1/f86611709131ebe4ff1cd0e6.png"},{"id":81669435,"identity":"e4b73c3f-4800-45ce-a32e-b8c0824de78b","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-04-30 04:57:10","extension":"png","order_by":7,"title":"Figure 7","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":98624,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eCyclic clustering heatmap of the essential oil components of Nanfeng mandarin orange peel extracted by different methods.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"7.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5888041/v1/85ce469b27b7fbef397c7320.png"},{"id":81670437,"identity":"d66d44b5-1dc0-41ed-bc12-4a4a0898a23d","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-04-30 05:29:10","extension":"png","order_by":8,"title":"Figure 8","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":492814,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eBacteriostatic effect of essential oils on six pathogenic bacteria. undiluted essential oil (1,3), positive control: Chloramphenicol (2), negative control: pure water (4). a: \u003cem\u003eStaphylococcus aureus\u003c/em\u003e, b: \u003cem\u003eBacillus cereus\u003c/em\u003e, c: \u003cem\u003eSalmonella typhimurium\u003c/em\u003e, d: \u003cem\u003eShigella flexneri\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"8.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5888041/v1/64159b117b6dfba406743e0b.png"},{"id":83783017,"identity":"e2702a64-3043-439a-8f78-e96afee233c3","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-06-02 16:09:59","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":659704,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"250418RevisedManuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5888041/v1_covered_157843a9-7746-47ea-b272-16bf7628a9c2.pdf"},{"id":81669427,"identity":"5b782c70-55d1-4dda-acd2-d23706c42e02","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-04-30 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Technology","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bioresources-and-bioprocessing","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"biob","sideBox":"Learn more about [Bioresources and Bioprocessing](http://bioresourcesbioprocessing.springeropen.com)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/biob/default.aspx","title":"Bioresources and Bioprocessing","twitterHandle":"@SpringerOpen","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC/SO AJ","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"solvent-free microwave extraction, essential oil, Nanfeng tangerine, orange peel, energy consumption","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5888041/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5888041/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eIn the present study, a novel technology called intermittent solvent-free microwave extraction (ISFME), which integrates intermittent microwave treatment with solvent-free extraction, was proposed. Taking Nanfeng citrus peel as the research object, the extraction efficiency and composition of its essential oil were evaluated and compared with conventional hydrodistillation (HD) and solvent-free microwave extraction (SFME). Results from single-factor experiments and response surface method optimization indicate that the optimal parameters for SFME are a power of 660 W, a duration of 20 min, and a water content of 60%, yielding an essential oil output of 3.47%. In contrast, the optimal parameters for ISFME, determined through single-factor experiments, are a moisture content of 50%, a power setting of 380 W, a reaction time of 6 min, a 15-min interval, and 4 reaction cycles, resulting in an essential oil yield of 3.51%. Notably, the extraction efficiencies of ISFME and SFME are significantly superior to that of HD, which requires 240 min and yields only 3.28% essential oil. Furthermore, ISFME demonstrates comparable performance to SFME in terms of reaction time, extraction rate, and oil quality, while operating at a substantially lower power requirement of 380 W compared to the 660 W needed for SFME. Additionally, the carbon dioxide emissions and energy consumption associated with ISFME are markedly lower than those of traditional methods, amounting to only one-third of the energy consumption of SFME. These findings underscore that ISFME not only enhances the efficiency and quality of essential oil extraction but also minimizes environmental impact, thereby highlighting its significant advantages in terms of sustainability and ecological responsibility.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Sustainable and Green Extraction of Citrus Peel Essential Oil using Intermittent Solvent-Free Microwave Technology","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-04-30 04:57:05","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5888041/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Accept","date":"2025-05-06T00:42:00+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"","date":"2025-04-27T03:43:57+00:00","index":0,"fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-04-27T03:17:23+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-04-25T04:24:07+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Bioresources and Bioprocessing","date":"2025-04-23T03:46:44+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bioresources-and-bioprocessing","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"biob","sideBox":"Learn more about [Bioresources and Bioprocessing](http://bioresourcesbioprocessing.springeropen.com)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/biob/default.aspx","title":"Bioresources and Bioprocessing","twitterHandle":"@SpringerOpen","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC/SO AJ","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"b233d3ae-2b85-4c84-b008-5c1a88ae0981","owner":[],"postedDate":"April 30th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"published-in-journal","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-06-02T16:04:24+00:00","versionOfRecord":{"articleIdentity":"rs-5888041","link":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40643-025-00885-6","journal":{"identity":"bioresources-and-bioprocessing","isVorOnly":false,"title":"Bioresources and Bioprocessing"},"publishedOn":"2025-05-29 15:57:14","publishedOnDateReadable":"May 29th, 2025"},"versionCreatedAt":"2025-04-30 04:57:05","video":"","vorDoi":"10.1186/s40643-025-00885-6","vorDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40643-025-00885-6","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-5888041","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-5888041","identity":"rs-5888041","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}