Three-component phase behavior of the sclareol–ethyl lactate–carbon dioxide system for GAS applications

This paper focuses on the extraction of sclareol from the leaves of Salvia sclarea Lamiaceae, more commonly known as Clary sage. The process involves the extraction of sclareol using a CO2-soluble GRAS solvent such as ethyl lactate, followed by GAS anti-solvent precipitation from ethyl lactate solution with carbon dioxide. The three-component phase behavior of the sclareol–ethyl lactate–CO2 system at various pressures has been determined and indicates a slight cybotactic effect. The ability of thermodynamic models to predict the complex three-component phase behavior of this system is discussed, together with the implications of the thermodynamic behavior of the system on process design.