Experimental and Mathematical Optimization of the β-Sitosterol extraction from Mechanically Activated Pine Bark

Abstract

The optimization of the process of β-sitosterol extraction from the original and activated with two different methods (drum mill, explosive autohydrolysis) pine bark was carried out. The effect of the duration of the extraction process and the concentration of NaOH in the saponification solution on the yield of β-sitosterol was explored. The concentration of NaOH in the saponification solution appeared to have the highest effect on the β-sitosterol yields from activated pine bark. Mechanical activation of pine bark significantly increased the yield of β-sitosterol and reduced the duration of the isolation process. The highest yield of β-sitosterol was achieved with the use of pine bark activated by explosive autohydrolysis. According to the proposed mathematical model, the maximum predicted value of the β-sitosterol yield from this sample is 0.078 (wt%). This could be achieved using the process duration 10.3 hours and a 0.5 N solution of NaOH. This yield is close to the content of β-sitosterol in the original pine bark