title: Studies on the mechanism of efficient extraction of tea components by aqueous ethanol.
abstract: Effect of solvent on the extraction yield and its relevant mechanism have been studied in this paper. Compared with extraction by water, catechins and caffeine could be easily extracted from green tea by aqueous ethanol, but hardly at all by absolute ethanol. Results of the vacuum-assisted extraction, solubility determination of EGCG and caffeine, as well as swelling ratio analysis of the infused leaves, indicated that an excellent leaf-matrix-swelling effect and high solubility of tea components might be the key mechanisms for high extraction efficiency by the aqueous ethanol. These mechanisms were further confirmed by the pre-swelling extraction. This is a first report on the mechanism of efficient extraction by aqueous organic solvent. Application of pre-swelling extraction is also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang University Tea Research Institute, Hangzhou 310058, PR China.
authors.forename: Ci-Jie
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang University Tea Research Institute, Hangzhou 310058, PR China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang University Tea Research Institute, Hangzhou 310058, PR China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang University Tea Research Institute, Hangzhou 310058, PR China; Tea Industry Academy of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, PR China.
authors.forename: Xin-Qiang
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang University Tea Research Institute, Hangzhou 310058, PR China.
authors.forename: Jian-Hui
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang University Tea Research Institute, Hangzhou 310058, PR China; Tea Industry Academy of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, PR China.
authors.forename: Yue-Rong
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang University Tea Research Institute, Hangzhou 310058, PR China. Electronic address: jllu@zju.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Jian-Liang
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000431:Ethanol / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D013662:Tea / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D013662:Tea; D000431:Ethanol
keywords: Aqueous ethanol; Extraction efficiency; Penetration; Solubility; Swelling