Changes in Extraction Efficiency of Pine Needles depending on Extraction Method and the Condition

The extraction efficiency depending on the extracting methods and the conditions of extraction was investigated. The common steam extraction was compared to the distillation extraction method. The effects of the samples size and the extraction time on the extract yield were also investigated by using UV-Vis spectrophotometer. One of the functional components of pine needle extract as the natural phenol base components were detected by the UV-VIS at around 235 nm wavelength range. The absorbance intensity at around 235 nm wavelength of the pine needle extract was used as the indicator of the extraction efficiency in this experiment. The distillation extraction showed the higher extract yield than the steam extraction. The grinding treatment of pine needles also resulted in the better extract performance, but the severe grinding showed a little decrease in the extract yield especially in case of the distillation extraction method. More than half of the extract was collected at the first stage of the extraction, that was the first 15 minutes in the total 60 minutes extraction.