Microwave and Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction for Plant Bioactive Compounds

Dear Colleagues,

Plants are a rich source of various bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, pigments, sterols, and essential oil constituents, which possess a wide range of health-promoting effects, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. As awareness of health and nutrition grows, the demand for these bioactives in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries has surged. To maximize the benefits of these plant bioactives, selecting a suitable extraction method is crucial.

Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) are two advanced techniques developed to efficiently isolate these valuable compounds. MAE employs microwave energy to rapidly heat the plant material and solvent, causing the breakdown of plant cell walls and enhancing the release of bioactives. This method offers advantages such as reduced extraction time, lower solvent usage, and higher yields. On the other hand, UAE uses high-frequency sound waves to create cavitation bubbles in the solvent, which collapse and generate localized high pressure and temperature, disrupting the plant cells. UAE is ideal for extracting heat-sensitive plant bioactives, offering benefits such as shorter extraction times and energy efficiency. Both MAE and UAE are eco-friendly, cost-effective, and tailored to meet the increasing demand for plant bioactives in health-related industries, ensuring maximum retention of their positive properties.

This Special Issue therefore aims at gathering the most recent contributions and findings concerning the employment of these two extraction techniques for the isolation of different plant bioactive compounds.

Dr. Ivona Elez Garofulić
Dr. Maja Repajić
Guest Editors

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