Fecha de publicación: 19/12/2024 Fuente: Citrus Byproducts Extraction Abstract
Subcritical water extraction (SBWE) has emerged as one of the most sophisticated green extraction techniques, offering a promising approach for the extraction of bioactive compounds from diverse sources. It holds potential for environmental remediation as well as the production of useful extracts from plant materials, organic wastes, and microorganisms. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of SBWE, focusing on its application to plant materials, microorganisms, and organic wastes. SBWE refers to a process that uses liquid water at temperatures below 374 °C and pressures of up to 22.1 MPa, a process that maintains water in a subcritical state, enabling selective extraction of bioactive compounds. Bioactive compounds, such as phenolic compounds, terpenoids, alkaloids, and flavonoids, possess a wide range of physiological and pharmacological activities, including antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. The review details various SBWE applications for extracting these compounds from different matrices: plant materials (seeds, leaves, roots, flowers, and fruits), microorganisms (fungi and algae), and organic wastes (peels, pomace, spent grains, and algal residues). Also, the review discusses the advantages of SBWE over traditional extraction methods, emphasizing its environmental benefits due to the use of non-toxic water as a solvent. SBWE not only enhances extraction efficiency but also reduces extraction time and energy consumption compared to conventional approaches. Besides, it explores the impact of various extraction conditions, including temperature, pressure, and the use of co-solvents, on the efficiency and yield of bioactive compounds. Additionally, it addresses the coupling of SBWE with other techniques to further improve its performance. In conclusion, SBWE stands out as a significant advancement in green extraction technology, with considerable potential for environmental remediation and the production of valuable bioactive extracts. This review highlights the current state of SBWE, its applications, and the ongoing developments in optimizing its efficiency and expanding its industrial applications.

Graphical Abstract