4. Conclusion
The aim of this paper was to explore the feasibility of a simple
and low-cost portable microwave oven combined with a miniaturized
alembic to extract natural products and especially essential
oils directly in a crop or a forest. This original portable microwave
assisted extraction provides a fast in-field information about the
content of essential oils in fresh natural samples and offers important
advantages over traditional hydrodistillation technique: it is
quicker (less than 15 min), effective and involves an environmentally
friendly approach, with a reduced consume of energy and
reagents. The PMAE apparatus can provide instant results on crop
without the need to wait for the transport from the forest to the
lab, the sample preparation, analysis and data evaluation. Moreover,
PMAE could be employed as a laboratory exercise which easily
teaches Green Analytical Chemistry. This PMAE apparatus allows
obtaining essential oils similar to those obtained by conventional
methods and successfully incorporates green analytical chemistry
principles into the educational practical lessons