Question

Give the comparison between continuous extraction with a technique called soxlet extraction.

Answer 1

Normal extractions Vs. Soxhlet Extraction :

Normal extraction :
Impuire solid products + suitable solvent in which our desired product is soluble, mix well in flask and heat at suitable temperature (say T ^oC); from room temperature to solvent boiling temperature for a particular period , and then filtered, you will get the filtrtrate as solvent + your desired product and top of Buckner funnel you will get undissolved materials. This is a normal extraction.

But here the scientist observed that the product they get was not so much pure and hence, Franz von Soxhlet in 1879, invented a laboratory apparatus or equipment called as Soxhlet apparatus and the process of extraction (called Soxhlet extraction), in order to get the pure product which was difficult to obtain in normal extraction.

Please, see the link below for equipment details:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soxhlet_extractor

Soxhlet Extraction : From Solid impure products, required products extracted with suitable solvent in which it is dissolved, and once it is extracted in solvent , it will not come in contact with the mother impure solid product again, only solvent vapour and solvent again and again extracted the desired product from the mother impure products, so here you will get the more pure product than the normal extraction as other impurities or unwanted material will not come in contact with your extracted product again and again so purity is more.