Bergamot essential oil extraction by pervaporation

Bergamot peel oil is the most valuable essential oil due to its unique fragrance and freshness. The essence finds application in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical and food industries. However, strong limitations have been imposed on its use since bergamot oil contains several coumarins and psoralens which may be photoactive. Qualitative and quantitative analyses with GC-MS were carried out to evaluate the aroma flavour bouquet of the bergamot essential oil obtained by pervaporation (PV). In all PV experiments, made at different ethanol feed concentration and temperature, the bergapten was not detected in the permeate while the aroma components, present in the feed, permeate through the commercial Pervap 1070 membrane. Bergapten is a photoactive component of bergamot essential oil which, 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 traditional techniques employed in which the bergapten can be removed after an extra-chemical treatment.