Green Chemistry in Ethiopia:: the cleaner extraction of essential oils from Artemisia afra:: a comparison of clean technology with conventional methodology

One of the principal aims of Green Chemistry is to bring the benefits of modern chemical manufacture to developing countries without imposing the environmental burden that has plagued the industrialised world. In this paper we present early results from a comparative study of greener extraction methods (microwaves, ultrasound, supercritical fluids) on Artemisia afra, a plant traditionally employed as a fragrance, insect repellent and as a treatment for heart troubles and coughs. We show that lower temperature extraction methods give a qualitatively larger range of extracts than traditional hydrodistillation and therefore may have some promise for use in developing countries.