What You Need to Know
Steam distillation is a separation process that consists of distilling water together with other volatile and non-volatile components. The steam from the boiling water carries the vapor of the volatiles to a condenser; both are cooled and return to the liquid or solid state, while the non-volatile residues remain behind in the boiling container.
Key Parameters
Temperature
105°C
100°C - 110°C
Time
1 hour
30 minutes - 2 hours
Equipment
Steam distillation apparatusSeparatory funnelCondenser
Steps
- 1.
Rose water (Middle Eastern): Extracts volatile aromatic compounds from rose petals
- 2.
Citrus essential oils (Mediterranean): Preserves delicate citrus peel aromatics
- 3.
Agarwood oil (South Asian): Captures complex woody fragrance compounds