Bergamot essential oil extraction by pervaporation

Bergamot peel oil is the most valuable essential oil due to its unique fragrance and freshness. The essence findsapplication in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical and food industries. However, strong limitations have been imposed onits use since bergamot oil contains several coumarins and psoralens which may be photoactive. Qualitative andquantitative analyses with GC–MS were carried out to evaluate the aroma flavour bouquet of the bergamot essentialoil obtained by pervaporation (PV). In all PV experiments, made at different ethanol feed concentration andtemperature, the bergapten was not detected in the permeate while the aroma components, present in the feed, permeatethrough the commercial Pervap 1070 membrane. Bergapten is a photoactive component of bergamot essential oilwhich, in combination with UV radiation, promotes melanogenesis and causes thickening of the stratum corneum.Therefore, PV is a valid alternative for the high quality of essential oil produced without bergapten to the traditionaltechniques employed in which the bergapten can be removed after an extra-chemical treatment.