An Overview of Analytical-Scale SFE Instrumentation

Finally, although it is not rigorously part of supercritical fluid extraction, a last step generally afforded hy analytical-scale supercritical fluid extractors is reconstitution of the extracted components in a solution that is appropriate for the subsequent analytical instrument. In the case of gravimetric assays, the net loss of sample weight or the net weight of extract components can be measured and reconstitution of extracted components is not necessarily employed. 

The rest of this section will present details about various aspects of the process getting the extraction solvent from a gas cylinder to the extraction chamber, controlling the extraction conditions, separating the extracted components from the supercritical extraction fluid, and collecting and reconstituting extracted components. Note that the discussion will focus on using carbon dioxide as the primary, bulk extraction fluid since this is the most widespread fluid in use for analytical-scale SFE at this time. 

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