3.7. Concentration of lycopene in supercritical CO2
Also studied was concentration of lycopene in SCCO2 as a function
of temperature and SCCO2 density carrying out extractions at
flow rate of 2 ml/min and 10 g of tomato peel and seed. A low flow
rate and high amount of sample gave a saturated solution. The results
show a correlation between concentration C of the solute in
the supercritical phase and density q of the fluid, according to
the equation proposed by Chrastil (1982). The Chrastil model, in
fact, assumes that the solvation of the solute can be described as
equilibrium between a number of the fluid molecules and the solute
through formation of a solvate complex; the following equation
has been proposed: