Kinetic study of essential oil extraction from nutmeg seeds (Myristica fragrans Houtt) using microwave air-hydrodistillation (MAHD)

Department of Chemical Engineering, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, Jalan Arief Rahman Hakim, Surabaya 60111, Indonesia

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Abstract

The extraction of essential oil from Myristica fragrans Houtt (nutmeg) seeds has gained increasing interest due to its pharmacological and industrial applications. This study investigates the extraction kinetics of nutmeg seed essential oil using Microwave Air-Hydrodistillation (MAHD) and compares the performance of five mathematical models: first-order, second-order, power law, weibull and elovich. Experimental extractions were performed at two microwave power levels (300 W and 450 W) with solid to liquid ratios of 0.20, 0.25, and 0.30 g/mL. Kinetic parameters were determined by fitting each model’s equation to the experimental yield data, and model performance was evaluated using the coefficient of determination (R²) and root mean square error (RMSE). Among all models, the Weibull model provided the best fit, with the highest R²=0.9990 and lowest RMSE=0.0014, accurately capturing both the initial rapid extraction phase and the later diffusion-controlled phase. These findings confirm that the Weibull model offers a robust predictive framework for MAHD, supporting process optimization and scale-up of nutmeg essential oil extraction systems while preserving oil quality.