Valorization of olive tree leaves: Extraction of oleanolic acid using aqueous solutions of surface-active ionic liquids.

ABSTRACT: The global olive oil industry annually generates approximately 750,000-1,500,000 tons of Olea europaea leaves as waste that are typically burned for energy production. Yet, this agricultural by-product is a rich source of oleanolic acid, a high value triterpenic acid with outstanding pharmaceutical and nutraceutical activities. The present study focuses on the extraction of oleanolic acid from dried O. europaea leaves using aqueous solutions of surface-active ionic liquids as alternative solvents. A number of imidazolium-based ionic liquids with variable chain length, different anions and optional side-chain functionalization was synthesized and employed in the extraction of oleanolic acid. Ionic liquids with long alkyl chains remarkably enhance the solubility of oleanolic ac

SUBMITTER: Claudio AFM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6179138 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature