Supercritical anti-solvent micronization of marigold-derived lutein dissolved in dichloromethane and ethanol

• The SAS technique was employed for micronization of lutein derived from marigold.
• Dichloromethane and ethanol was used as the solvents for the SAS process.
• The reduction of mean particle size was observed by increasing SC-CO2 flow rate.
• The significant effects of increasing pressure on MPS and PSDs were observed.
• The increase in pressure and SC-CO2 flow rate shows no effects on morphology.

This work aims to study supercritical anti-solvent (SAS) micronization of lutein derived from marigold flowers. Lutein solution in dichloromethane (DCM) or ethanol was atomized into the stream of supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) through a concentric nozzle in a pressurized vessel. The effects of pressure and SC-CO2 flow rate on morphology, mean particle size (MPS) and particle size distribution (PSD) were investigated. The reduction in lutein MPS from 202.3 μm of unprocessed lutein to 1.58 μm and 902 nm could be achieved by SAS micronization using DCM and ethanol, respectively. In both solvent systems, no significant effects of pressure and SC-CO2 flow rate on particle morphology were observed. However, pressure was found to have a significant effect on MPS and PSDs of lutein particles.

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