Microwave-assisted organic extraction and evaporation: An integrated approach

The authors describe the development of a novel technique, integrated microwave extraction, which is an enhanced version of microwave-assisted solvent extraction. In the technique, solvents are optimized for chemistry, and microwave absorption is modified using secondary microwave absorbers enabling traditional solvent applications. The salient features of integrated microwave extraction are its equipment integration and secondary heating technology, which are designed to overcome the deficiencies of microwave-assisted solvent extraction. The authors' comparative studies of integrated microwave extraction with traditional extraction techniques indicate equivalent recoveries for both polar and nonpolar solvents within a 95% confidence interval.