Solid-phase extraction, with general considerations

The use of supercritical fluids in separation processes has received considerable attention in the past several years and the fundamentals of supercritical fluid (SCF) extraction and potential applications have been described in a recent review article (p. It is generally known that supercritical conditions enhance the dissolution of solid particles. In comparison with liquid solvents, supercritical fluids have a high diffusivity, a low density and a low viscosity, thus allowing rapid extraction and phase separation. Little information is available in the literature however, on mass transfer coefficients between supercritical fluids and solids. 

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