In this study essential oil content was determined in lavender flowers and
leaves by hydrodistillation. Physical and chemical characteristics of the
isolated oils were determined. By using CO2 in supercritical state the
extraction of lavender flowers was performed with a selected solvent flow
under isothermal and isobaric conditions. By the usage of gas chromatography
in combination with mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and gas chromatography with
flame ionisation detector (GC/FID) the qualitative and quantitative analysis
of the obtained essential oil and supercritical extracts (SFE) was carried
out. Also, the analysis of individual SFE extracts obtained during different
extraction times was performed. It turned out that the main components of the
analysed samples were linalool, linalool acetate, lavandulol, caryophyllene
oxide, lavandulyl acetate, terpinen-4-ol and others. Two proposed models were
used for modelling the extraction system lavender flower - supercritical CO2
on the basis of experimental results obtained by examining the extraction
kinetics of this system. The applied models fitted well with the experimental
results.