Development of essential oil diffusion matrices using non-ionic surfactants-supported NADES and hydrophobic NADES

Area of Science:

• Green chemistry
• Formulation science
• Analytical chemistry

Background:

• Natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) are emerging as sustainable alternatives to traditional organic solvents.
• Essential oils contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) crucial for fragrance and therapeutic applications.
• Developing effective formulations for essential oil delivery remains a challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the application of NADES in formulating lavender essential oil (LEO).
• To evaluate the solubilization and release characteristics of VOCs using different NADES formulations.
• To explore the role of Hydrophilic-Lipophilic Balance (HLB) in NADES-based essential oil delivery systems.

Main Methods:

• Preparation and evaluation of hydrophilic NADES with surfactants and hydrophobic NADES.
• Solubilization and release studies of LEO VOCs.
• Analysis of VOCs using headspace, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and chemometrics (OPLS-DA, PCA).

Main Results:

• Hydrophilic NADES with non-ionic surfactants formed stable emulsions, enhancing LEO VOC solubilization and release.
• Hydrophobic NADES demonstrated controlled release, suitable for sustained fragrance delivery.
• Chemometric analysis successfully differentiated VOC profiles, with five distinct groups identified.
• Adjusting HLB through surfactant concentration significantly impacted VOC release dynamics.

Conclusions:

• NADES show significant potential as eco-friendly solvent systems for essential oil applications.
• Optimizing NADES composition, particularly HLB, is key for tailored solubility and release profiles.
• Further research into NADES formulations can advance sustainable fragrance delivery and green chemistry practices.