Radiation-Assisted Extraction

Radiation-assisted extraction has been emerging as a promising and innovative technique for extracting bioactive compounds from plant sources. Bioactive compounds include flavonoids, alkaloids, essential oils, and phenolics. Using bioactive compounds in different commercial sectors such as pharmaceutical, food, and chemical industries signifies the need for the most appropriate and standard method to extract these active components from plant materials. This chapter elucidates the principles of radiation-assisted extraction, detailing the types of radiation involved, including gamma, microwaves, and infrared radiation. The radiations cause cell wall disruption and increase permeability, emphasising their role in facilitating the extraction process. The factors affecting radiation parameters include power level, dose level, treatment time, and temperature. The potential advantages of radiation-assisted extraction over conventional extraction methods are enhanced extraction yield, lower solvent consumption, and reduced processing time. This chapter also addresses the safety and regulatory aspects of using radiation in the extraction process.