Banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO: LAINY WALESKA DE BRITO SODRE

Ultrasound- and Pressurized Liquid-Assisted Extraction of Phenolic Compounds from Arrabidaea chica Using Experimental Design

Otimização; Antioxidantes; Pariri;

*Arrabidaea chica* Verlot is a plant rich in phenolic compounds with significant antioxidant potential. This study employed a 2³ experimental design to optimize the yield of phenolic compounds by combining ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and pressurized liquid extraction (PLE). Eleven experimental conditions were evaluated based on solid-to-solvent ratio, temperature, and extraction time. The optimal condition (experiment 5: 1:30 ratio, 60°C, 10 min) yielded the highest extraction output (8.22%). Under these conditions, the extract exhibited a significant total phenolic content (90.77 ± 2.59) and substantial antioxidant activity (DPPH: 47.66 ± 1.78; FRAP: 1256.28 ± 9.01; ABTS: 769.07 ± 16.65; ORAC: 113.87 ± 9.17 µmol TE g⁻¹). Structural analyses (FTIR and XRD) revealed a semi-crystalline structure, with a reduction in crystallinity observed following the use of the combined extraction techniques. Response surface methodology (RSM) indicated that temperature and time positively influenced extraction efficiency, whereas higher solvent ratios reduced the phenolic concentration. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of process optimization in obtaining high-yield, phenolic-rich extracts.