Conventional vs. Microwave-Assisted Hydrodistillation: Influence on the Chemistry of Sea Fennel Essential Oil and Its By-Products.

The main objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of the applied essential oil (EO) isolation method, conventional hydro-distillation (HD), and microwave-assisted hydro-distillation (MHD) on the chemical profile of sea fennel ( L.) essential oil and to investigate the main constituents present in the liquid by-products of EOs isolation (hydrolate and residual wastewater). Headspace-solid phase microextraction () was used to isolate hydrolate components, while gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to detect and analyse the chemical constituents of the essential oils and hydrolates.