Soxhlet extraction: An introduction

Soxhletextraction

An introduction

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oxhlet extractor is a laboratory apparatus invented by Franz Von Soxhlet in the year 1879. Initially designed for the extraction of lipid from a solid material. But a soxhlet extractor is not limited to the extraction of lipids.

Normally a soxhlet extractor is employed for the extraction of compounds with limited solubility in a solvent, and the impurity is insoluble in that solvent. If the taken compound has a significant solubility in water, then simple water (aqueous) can be used to separate the compound from the insoluble substances.

The desired substance is placed in cellulose thimble, in the extraction chamber, the extraction chamber is placed over the collecting flask, over the extraction chamber is mounted the condensation chamber. A suitable solvent is added to the Distillation flask, and the setup is heated. After heating the solvent boils and evaporates and advances to the condenser through the bypass side arm. The vapour condenses and accumulates in the thimble, and gets siphoned in the Distillation flask.  And the process is repeated continuously depending upon the substance used for extraction. The main advantage of Soxhlet extraction is that it is a continuous process.