Definition:

Extraction is a separation process in chemical engineering and

laboratory chemistry which consists in extracting a chemical species,
that is to say taking one or more chemical species from a solid or
liquid mixture.

The purpose of the extraction :

Cette technique permet d'extraire une substance dissoute dans un
solvant (phase d'alimentation), à l'aide d'un autre solvant, appelé phase
solvant d'extraction, dans lequel elle est plus soluble. Le solvant initial
et le solvant d'extraction ne doivent pas être miscibles.

General principle  :
An extraction means is used to selectively extract one
or more compounds from an initial mixture, on the
basis of chemical or physical properties. The
extraction means should not be mescible with the
main components of the initial mixture, and the
compound to be extracted has more affinity with the
extraction medium than with the main components of the
initial mixture.
The extraction operation takes place in two parts:
a first part for transferring the compound to be
extracted between the initial mixture and the
extraction means.

a second part for separating the means for extracting

the main mixture.
Types of extraction

Liquid–liquid extraction (LLE)

This technique makes it possible to extract a substance

dissolved in a solvent (feed phase), using another solvent,

called the extraction solvent phase, in which it is more

soluble. The initial solvent and the extraction solvent must

not be miscible.

To perform liquid-liquid extraction in the laboratory, a

separatory funnel or a continuous extractor such as the

Kutscher-Streudel extractor can be used.

Solid-liquid extraction

This involves extracting a substance present in a solid to pass it through

a liquid solvent.

Maceration, infusion and decoction technique are solid-liquid extraction

methods.

In the organic chemistry laboratory, more efficient devices are sometimes

used, Soxhlet, Tisselmann or Kumagawa extractors, which operate

continuously.

A reflux assembly can also be used to accomplish solid-liquid extraction.

Extraction by a supercritical fluid

Supercritical fluids are used to extract, for example, spices

and perfumes, to remove bitterness from hops or to decaffeinate

coffee. The main difference between supercritical fluid

extraction and conventional solvent extraction is in the

solvent recovery method. By reducing the pressure, the

supercritical fluid loses its dissolving power and the

extracted product precipitates. This extraction can be:

supercritical liquid-fluid extraction;

supercritical solid-fluid extraction.

Extraction by a solid
This technique extracts a substance dissolved in a solvent

(mobile phase) using a solid called stationary phase. The

extraction is carried out by adsorption followed by desorption

by elution, for example.