Extraction of Biologically Active Substances from Wood

Wood contains a variety of materials with potential commercial value, including resins, sugars, extractives, and other compounds that represent raw materials for syntheses. Economic recovery of many of these materials poses a challenge. Many compounds can be recovered using steam or organic solvents, but both approaches have certain drawbacks that may limit their usefulness. Steaming is energy-intensive, and the resulting condensate can be contaminated with a variety of materials. Wood can absorb large quantities of an organic solvent, increasing recovery costs. In addition, volatilization of these solvents represents an ever-increasing environmental impact.