Rogeni Misaelle Petinglay Date performed: March 2, 2017

B.S. in Chemistry II Date submitted: March 9, 2017

Experiment No. 4
STEAM DISTILLATION

I. Summary of Results

Table 1. Steam Distillation and Separation of the Essential Oil from the Steam Distillate

Material Mass (g)

Ginger sample 210.660
Vial 30.0815
Vial + Extracted essential oil 30.6990
Extracted essential oil 0.61750
% Recovery of extracted essential oil 0.29313 %

II. Discussion

Most of the naturally occurring plants have an aroma due to the presence of volatile oils
known as essential oils. Many of these oils decompose when heated at high temperatures.
Monoterpenes with sequiterpenes are the main constituents of essential oils.

Essential oils such as limonene, geraniol, and eugenol can be extracted in plants through
steam distillation. Steam distillation allows distillation of organic materials at lower temperature.
This is useful when substances are prone to decomposing at higher temperatures.

Geraniol Limonene Eugenol

In the experiment, about 200 grams of fresh finely cut ginger were obtained and mixed
with distilled water in a round bottom flask. The cutting of ginger to a more refined state was for
easy extraction of oil in the sample. The water added was about 2/3 of the flask and an
Erlenmeyer flask was also added with water alone. These flasks were subjected to steam
distillation. As the containers were heated, the vapour pressure of the solution increased until it
reached the boiling point. At the boiling point, the sum of the vapour pressure is equal to the
atmospheric pressure. Thus, the mixture was boiled at a temperature slightly lower than the
boiling point of water, which means that the oil will vaporize under very mild conditions.
Boiling point of a substance also represents the point by which the intermolecular attractions
between the liquid molecules are broken with enough amount of energy to undergo phase
change. Water from the Erlenmeyer flask turned into vapour and travelled through the connector
(U-shaped glass tubing) to the round bottom flask containing ginger and water. The vapour
pressure in the solution is independent to the amount of water in the solution because the liquids
are immiscible which means that the vapour pressure they exert varies.

After the completion of the process, about 200 ml of the distillate was collected and put
in an Erlenmeyer flask. As what has been observed, the distillate was composed of two layers of
liquid- the essential oil and water. The formation of the layers was due to the different densities
of the liquids in the solution. The oil floated in water because it is less dense than water.

Initially, for the separation of essential oil, the layer formation of the solution in the flask
was not visible so the attempt in separating the oil from the distillate was done through
decantation but this process was not applicable. The oil was all over at the top of the water,
unevenly distributed so as soon as the water was poured into another container, the oil was
flowing with it. Trying to separate it again, the distillate was transferred inside a separatory
funnel and there, the layer formation was visible which means that salting out process is needed.
Addition of salt makes the water denser and polar, thus water will tend to bind with polar
molecules and oil will also bind with nonpolar molecules. The aqueous layer of the solution was
drained slowly. The extracted oil was put inside a pre-weighed vial. The extracted mass of the oil
was 0.61750 grams and the percent recovery is 0.29313 %. It was expected that only few
amounts of oil can be extracted because only 200 g of the sample was used.

The total vapour pressure in the round bottom flask which contains ginger and water
increased since there was an addition of the waters vapour pressure. This means that the mixture
needed less energy and pressure for it to reach vaporization. Thus, the mixture with oil vaporized
at lower temperature.

III. Conclusion

Steam distillation is one of the convenient ways in extracting oils. The steam helps in
increasing vapour pressure of the container with sample and water. Thus, less energy and
pressure is needed to reach the boiling point of the solution.

Steam distillation was quite useful for laboratory uses because the set-up is simple and no
hazardous reagents were used. About 0.29313% of oil was obtained from the ginger sample. In
some ways, steam distillation also has disadvantages such as the cost of the equipment and p[not
pure oil is extracted, some water molecules might be present in the extracted oil.

IV. Answers to Questions

1. A mixture of immiscible liquids (both water-insoluble) is subjected to steam

distillation. At 90C, the vapour pressure of pure water is 526 mm Hg. If the vapour pressure of
Compound A is 127 mm Hg and that of B is 246 mm Hg at 90C,
a) What is the total vapour pressure of the mixture at 90?
Vp total = Vp Compund A + Vp Compund B + Vp water
= 127 mmHg + 246 mm Hg + 526 mm Hg
= 899 mm Hg at 90C

b) Would this mixture boil at a temperature above or below 90?

The mixture will boil at a temperature below 90. At the boiling point, the vapour
pressure of the liquid and the atmospheric pressure must be equal. The boiling point will be
approximately 76C since the atm pressure (760 mm Hg) is less than the vapour pressure of the
liquid (899 mm Hg). In addition, the boiling point is directly proportional to the pressure.

c) What would be the effect on the vapour pressure and boiling temperature by doubling the
amount of water used?
As what is said in the discussion part, the vapour pressure in the solution is independent
to the amount of water in the solution because the liquids are immiscible which means that the
vapour pressure they exert varies. So doubling the amount of water used doesnt change
anything.

2. Research on the essential oil you have isolated from your source. Draw its structure.
Based on literature, what is its boiling point/vapour pressure? What are the uses of this oil?
There is a higher content of zingeberene (16.6%) followed by e-citral (12%), z-citral
(8.8%), camphene (7.6%) and ocimene (6.5%) in the oil (Raina, et.al., 2013). The boiling point
of ginger oil is 254C.

Zingeberene Camphene Z-Citral

E-Citral Ocimene

Ginger oil is very useful in many ways. The following are the uses of ginger oil:
Treats upset stomach and supports Relieves anxiety
digestion Alleviates menstrual pain
Heals infections and reduces Natural aphrodisiac
inflammation
Improves liver function
Aids respiratory problems
Strengthens the heart
 V. References

Sublimation and Steam Distillation (B. Caramote, 2014). Retrieved March 3, 2017 from
http://www.academia.edu/12417198/Sublimation_and_Steam_Distillation

Immiscible Liquids and Steam Distillation (J. Clark, 2014). Retrieved March 3, 2015 from
http://www.chemguide.co.uk/physicalphaseeqia/immiscible.html

Essential Oil Composition of Ginger (Zingiber officianale Roscoe) Rhizomes from Different
Place in India (Raina, et.al., 2013). Retrieve March 3, 2017 from
http://www.tandfolinee.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0972060X.2005.10643442