Supercritical CO2 extraction on natural biomass

The supercritical CO ₂ (SC CO ₂ ) extraction process has been industrially proven since the 1970s. Beyond its historical applications (coffee, hops, cork), supercritical SC CO ₂ now has a much wider range of uses. It is now positioned as one of the essential elements in the eco-extraction solvent toolbox. SC CO ₂ enables the selective, efficient, and residue-free extraction of compounds such as plant extracts, lipids, flavors, pigments, active ingredients, and even undesirable compounds. Its major advantage lies in its ability to preserve the quality of the extracted compounds and/or processed materials (plants, seeds, fruits, grains, microalgae). Due to the market's evolving demand for more sustainable products with a low environmental footprint, this process is increasingly being used by the cosmetics, nutraceuticals, flavorings, and fragrances industries to complement their range of processes. It has even become standard practice for certain types of production (organic ingredients, organic active ingredients).

Furthermore, the development of new extraction equipment and subcontracting platforms facilitates market entry and opens up new application prospects. However, understanding, implementation, and cost may remain obstacles to the development of the technology. The purpose of this article is to provide the broadest possible overview of the mechanisms involved in CO ₂ SC extraction for plant biomass, the key parameters to be taken into account during laboratory development, and then during industrial implementation. A large part is devoted to the various applications, whether from the perspective of the biomass treated, unit processes (extraction, separation, purification) or target application sectors.

The article also opens up new applications and prospects for innovation offered by this process, particularly when combined with other conventional or innovative processes (microwaves, ultrasound, hexane extraction, etc.).