Solvent Extraction of Agarwood for Oud Oil

Overview

Solvent extraction is a widely used technique for obtaining oud oil from agarwood. Unlike traditional hydro distillation, this method dissolves aromatic compounds using organic solvents, resulting in a concentrated extract that can be further refined.

Benefits of Solvent Extraction for Agarwood

✅ Higher Yield – Extracts more resinous compounds compared to steam or hydro distillation
✅ Efficient Processing – Faster and more effective for low-resin agarwood
✅ Wide Applicability – Suitable for both large-scale and boutique production
✅ High-Purity Extracts – Produces absolute and concrete forms of oud oil

Solvent Extraction Process

1️⃣ Agarwood Preparation

• Select and clean high-resin agarwood
• Chop or grind into small particles for better solvent penetration

2️⃣ Solvent Selection

• Common solvents: Ethanol, hexane, petroleum ether, or supercritical CO₂
• Solvent should efficiently dissolve resin while maintaining oil purity

3️⃣ Extraction Procedure

• Agarwood chips are soaked in the chosen solvent
• The solvent dissolves the resinous components, forming an agarwood concrete
• The solution is then filtered to separate solid residues

4️⃣ Solvent Evaporation

• The solvent is evaporated using a vacuum system or rotary evaporator
• A highly concentrated agarwood absolute remains

5️⃣ Post-Processing & Purification

• The absolute can be further refined or aged to enhance fragrance
• Final filtration removes impurities before packaging

Solvent Extraction vs. Hydro Distillation

Applications of Solvent-Extracted Oud Oil

???? High-end perfumery (agarwood absolute in niche fragrances)
???? Aromatherapy & therapeutic applications
???? Skincare and pharmaceutical formulations

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