Pomelo (<i>Citrus grandis</i> L.) Essential Oil Extraction: A Comparison between Hydrodistillation and Microwave Assisted Hydrodistillation

Hydrodistillation (HD) is a traditional technique used in most extraction processes. On the other hand, microwave-assisted hydrogen distillation (MAHD), an advanced method using microwaves in the extraction process, has recently emerged. The chemical ingredients of essential oils obtained from pomelo (Citrus grandis L.) peels obtained by MAHD and by hydrodistillation (HD) were analyzed and compared gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The results show that there is no significant difference between the two methods in terms of extraction efficiency, at around 4.45 to 4.7%. The main components of essential oils were Limonene, α-pinene, β-Myrcene and Sabinene. The content of those compounds showed no clear quantitative and qualitative difference between HD and MAHD. Experimental results show that the MAHD method provides a good alternative to extracting essential oils from grapefruit, saving time, operating costs and achieving more optimal levels. Keywords: Comparison, Pomelo (Citrus grandis L.), Essential oil, Hydrodistillation, Microwave assist hydrodistillation,