Ultrasound-negative pressure cavitation extraction of paclitaxel from Taxus chinensis

An ultrasound-negative pressure cavitation extraction method was developed to remarkably improve the recovery efficiency of paclitaxel from Taxus chinensis. The paclitaxel yield was 94-100% through ultrasound-negative pressure cavitation extraction with an extraction time of 3 to 8 min. In particular, most paclitaxel could be recovered within 3 min of extraction at ultrasonic power of 380 W/negative pressure of -260 mmHg. Observation of the biomass surface with SEM before and after extraction showed that as the ultrasonic power and negative pressure increased, the surface was more disrupted. In addition, a pseudo-second order model was suitable for the kinetic analysis, and intraparticle diffusion played a dominant role in the overall extraction rate according to the intraparticle diffusion model. As the ultrasonic power and negative pressure increased, the extraction rate constant (6.8816-11.6105 mL/mg center dot min), the effective diffusion coefficient (1.550x10(-12)-11.528x10(-12) m(2)/s), and the mass transfer coefficient (2.222x10(-7)-5.149x10(-7) m/s) increased.