STEAM DISTILLATION Meaning and
Definition
-
Steam distillation is a specialized form of distillation, commonly utilized in the extraction of essential oils from plants, where steam is used to vaporize the volatile compounds. It is a separation process that involves the selective heating of a mixture of substances to separate the components based on their different boiling points.
In steam distillation, a mixture is placed in a flask and heated. The steam generated by boiling water is then passed through the mixture, causing the volatile compounds to vaporize. The vaporized compounds, including the essential oils, rise with the steam and flow into a condenser where they are cooled and condensed back into a liquid. The resulting liquid, known as the distillate, is collected in a receiving flask.
This technique is particularly useful for extracting essential oils, as the lower temperatures involved help preserve the delicate aromas and flavors of the plant materials. It is widely used in the perfume, food, and pharmaceutical industries for the production of fragrances, flavors, and medicinal compounds.
Steam distillation is efficient for separating volatile compounds from non-volatile components, as the steam acts as a carrier, effectively dragging the vaporized compounds along. It allows the isolation of compounds that would be damaged or destroyed by higher temperatures used in other distillation methods.
Overall, steam distillation is a technique that utilizes steam as a carrier to extract volatile compounds from plant materials, making it an essential process in various industries.
Etymology of STEAM DISTILLATION
The word "distillation" originates from the Latin word "distillare", which means "to trickle down or drop". The prefix "steam" refers to the use of steam during the distillation process. Steam distillation is a technique used to separate volatile substances, such as essential oils, from non-volatile components using the vaporization and subsequent condensation of steam. The term "steam distillation" combines these two elements to describe the specific process of distillation using steam as the medium.
