Further qualification of a model-based process design for plant-based products using macroscopic and microscopic material parameters and non-invasive vibrational spectroscopy

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Hartwig Schulz; Professor Dr.-Ing. Jochen Strube
• Subject Area: Chemical and Thermal Process Engineering ; Plant Physiology
• Term: from 2011 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 201143946

Due to missing fundamentals and neglecting botanical parameters the currently used solid-liquid extraction models have deficits in the prediction of phytoextraction processes.Furthermore, there are no systematic pretreatment and solvent selection methods considering not only yield but also purity and product quality. Based on the results of the current DFG research project enhancements and specification of prediction quality of solid-liquid extraction models as well rapid vibrational spectroscopic methods for the qualitative and quantitative assessment of herbal samples should be pursued in the subsequent project.As a model plant yew, sage and fennel should be further investigated. Both project partners were able to develop enough expertise with the use of these plants in the current project. Thus, time-consuming development and transfer of analytical methods are omitted. The analysis as well as taxonomic characterization of material content will be performed with more sensitive methods combined with an improved statistics for further development with regard to the target component.Enhancements of the current extraction models should be done by including both plant material parameters such as tissue structure, porosity, swelling capacity, drug distribution, and the influence of various mechanical pre-treatments (grinding, sonication, microwave digestion) and the resulting particle sizes on the extraction success.Subsequently, the developed vibrational spectroscopic quantification methods should be applied on- and in-line to process control at appropriate and relevant stages in the extraction process. In addition, solubilizing effects on the example of diterpene glycosides of yew should be examined. Using the generated data, the accuracy of the solvent screening with COSMO-RS should be improved by taking account solubilizers.Afterwards, the advanced screening methods will be applied to fennel and sage.With the help of improved predictive models for solid liquid extraction an optimal process alternative should be proposed and validated in mini-plant scale.Finally, the knowledge about systematic and efficient process design of phytoextraction processes gained by extraction of yew needles, sage leaves and fennel fruits will be applied to other plant parts to prove their plant-independent and thus systematic process development.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants