Comparison of quality and quantity of aromatic compounds from technique rose water distillation and steam distillation (Rosa Damascena Mill)

Subject Areas : Medicinal Plants

Mohammad Emambakhsh ¹ , masoud azadbakht ² , vajihe Abbasi ghadi ³ , Maryam Habibi Khaki ⁴

1 - .Department of Biology, Sana Institute of Higher Education, Sari, Iran
2 -
3 - Graduate of landscape engineering M.Sc.
4 - Department of Biology, Sena Institute of Higher Education, Sari, Iran.

Received: 2024-12-23 Accepted : 2025-05-02 Published : 2025-06-16

Keywords: Rosa damascena Mill, Aromatic compounds, water distillation, Steam distillation. ,

Abstract :

 Damask Rose (Rosa damascena Mill.) is a key species for the production of rose water and essential oil. This study aimed to extract rose water from fresh petals collected in the Varkan region of Kashan using two simultaneous methods: water distillation and steam distillation, along with essence extraction via a Clevenger device. The extracted samples were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) to identify and compare volatile compounds. The analysis revealed 23 main volatile compounds in the essence, constituting 14.84%. The results of the rose water extraction showed no significant difference in yield between the two distillation methods. However, the qualitative analysis showed that the water distillation method yielded five volatile compounds, with phenylethyl alcohol (55.52%) and citronellol (38.55%) being the most abundant. In contrast, the steam distillation method identified 11 compounds, making up 95% of the total, with phenylethyl alcohol (42.16%) and citronellol (33.44%) as the most predominant. Notably, the steam distillation method produced 8% more volatile compounds than water distillation, resulting in rose water with a more pleasant aroma. The study concluded that oxygenated compounds like phenylethyl alcohol, citronellol, and geraniol were more concentrated in the rose water than in the essence, likely due to their solubility in water. Therefore, steam distillation is recommended as the superior method for improving the quality of rose water, potentially benefiting the economic viability of rose water producers.

References:

Ahmadi, K. (2005). A look at the situation of damask rose flowers in Iran and the world. Agricultural and Natural Resources Engineering Magazine. 16(4): 17-19.
Araghiyan, S. (1992), Ji Asana Collection of Pahlavi Texts of Khosrow Kuvatan and Ridgi, National Library of Iran Publications, Tehran.
Asadi, A. (2015). Damask rose grow. Publications of the Agricultural Education and Extension Institute. Azadbakht, M., Azadbakht, M. (2013). Medicinal Botany (Classification based on APG). Arjomand Publications, Tehran. 2: 159.
Azarnivand, H., Ghavam Arabani, M., Sefidkon, F., and Tavili, A. (2010). The effect of ecological characteristics on quality and quantity of the essential oils of Achillea millefolium L. subsp. millefolium. Iranian Journal of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants. 25(4): 556- 571.
Batooli, H., Safaei-Ghomi, J. (2012). Comparison of Essential Oil Composition of Flowers of Three Rosa damascena Mill. Genotypes from Kashan. Journal of Medicinal Plants. 11 (42):157-166.
Ebrahim Abadi, A. (2010). Center for Coordination of Science and Industry of damask rose and Roses water. Kashan University. Rose essential oil (situation of rose and essential oil in Iran), Research Institute of Natural Essential Oils, Kashan University.
Firouznia, G., Gharani, B., and Jasemi, E. (2019). The role of producing rose and rosewater on Kashan human settlement development. Journal of Studies of Human Settlements Planning. 14(2): 339-357.
Ghahraman, A. (1991). Flora of Iran. Publications of the National Forest and Rangeland Research Institute and the University of Tehran. p 200.
Jaimand, K., Rezaee, M.B., Tabaei Aghdaei, S.R., Nadery Hajibagher Kandy, M., and Meshkizadeh, S. (2011). Dtermination of tannins in rose water, wastewater and petal residue of Rosa damascena Mill. Iranian Journal of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants. 27(2): 348-357.
Kadouri, M., Jayamand, K., and Saber Amoli, S. (2009). Study of the performance of essential oil and its chemical compounds in Rosa damascena Mill. accessions, National Conference of Medicinal Plants.
Kafi, M., Riazi, Y. (2001). Growing of Rosa damascena Mill. and Production of Rosa damascena Mill. Cube Publications. p 154.
Karimzadeh, H., and Hosseini, M. (2009). Planting and harvesting of Rosa damascena Mill. Agricultural extension and education of South Khorasan.
Mahboubifar, M., Shahabipour, S., and Javidnia, K. (2014). Evaluation of the Valuable Oxygenated Componentsin Iranian Rose Water. International Journal of ChemTech Research. 6: 4782-4788.
. Mahmoudi Paredkalai, M. (2018). Study of the effect of ecological factors (height above sea level) on the quantity and quality of Rosa damascena Mill. essential oil. Master's thesis. Faculty of Agriculture, Shahed University of Tehran.
Manoochehri, R. Saharkhiz, M.J., and Karami, A. (2015). Comparison of essential oil and rose water component of Rosa damascena Mill. The 9th Congress of Horticultural Sciences, Iran, Ahvaz.
Mirbaha, F. (2003). Essential oil of the Rosa damascena Mill. Cube Publications. p 62.
Mirza, M., and Najafpour Navaei, M. (2007). The effect of distillation method on extracted compounds from rose water. Iranian Journal of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants. 23(3): 375-381.
Mozaffarian, V. (2005). Trees and Shrubs of Iran, Farhang Contemporary publisher. p 740.
Omid Beigi, R. (2013). Production and Processing of Medicinal Plants. Beh Nashr Publications (Astan Quds Razavi), Mashhad. 4(2): 94-115.
Omid Beigi, R. (2014). Production and Processing of Medicinal Plants. Beh Nashr Publications (Astan Quds Razavi), Mashhad. 1(8): 235-245.
Pal, P. K. (2013). Evaluation, genetic diversity, recent development of distillation method, challenges and opportunities of Rosa damascena: A review. Journal of Essential Oil Bearing Plants. 16: 1-10.
. Pellati, F., Orlandini, G., Leeuwen, K. A., Anesin, G., Bertelli, D, Paolini, M., Benvenuti, S., and Camin, F. (2013). Gas chromatography combined with mass spectrometry, flame ionization detection and elemental analyzer/isotope ratio mass spectrometry for characterizing and detecting the authenticity of commercial essential oils of Rosa damascena Mill. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry. 27: 591-602.
Rahamani, A., Mirza, M., and Tabaei-Aghdai, S.R. (2013). Effects of different fertilizers (macro and micro elements) on quantity and quality of essential oil and other byproducts of Rosa damascena Mill. in Iran. Iranian Journal of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants. 29(4): 747-759.
Rao, B. R. R., Sadtry, K.P., Saleem, SM., Rao, EVP., Syam asundra, KV., and Ramesh, S. (2000). Volatile flower oils of three genotypes of rose scented geranium (Pelargonium sp.). Flavour and Fragrance Journal. 15(2):105-107.
Rezaee, M. B., Jaimand, K., Tabaei-Aghdaei, S.R., and Brazandeh, M. M. (2003). Comparative study of laboratory and industrial essential oils samples of Rosa damascena Mill. for quantitative and qualitative constituents from Kashan. Iranian Journal of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research. 19(1): 63-69.
Rezaei, M. B., Osare, Jayamand, M. H., Tabaei Aghdai, R., and Harsijan, S., (2009). Investigating the determination of the amount of essential oil and compounds of roses in different growing conditions (the length of the flowering period of Rosa damascena Mill.). Research institute of Forests and Rangelands. p 20.
Salehi Surmaghi, M. H. (2011). Herbal Medicine and Herbal Medicines. Nutrition World Publications. Tehran. 2(2): 267-273.
Sefidkon, F. (2007). Chemistry and Industrial Preparation of Essential Oils, Zavash Publications, Tehran, p 254.
Sefidkon, F. Akbari, Z. Osere, M., and Bakhshi Khaniki, G. H. (2006). Comparison of Quantity and Quality of Aromatic Compounds from Rosa damascena Mill. by Different Extraction Methods. Iranian Journal of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants. 22(4): 351-365.
Sefidkon, F., Ahmadi, K., Meshkizadeh, S., and Bahmanzadegan, A. (2012). Comparison of Absolute and Concerete Contents and Compositions of Dried and Fresh Petals and Flower Buds of Rosa Damascena Mill. Iranian Journal of Horticultural Science and Technology. 12 (4): 389-402.
Sereshti, H., Karimi, M., and Samadi, S. (2009). Application of response surface method for optimization of dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction of water-soluble components of Rosa damascena Mill. essential oil. Journal of Chromatography. 12(16): 198-204.
Shamspur, T., Mohamadi, M., and Mostafavi, A. (2012). The effects of onion and salt treatments on essential oil content and composition of Rosa damascena Mill. Industrial Crops and Products. 37(3): 451-456.
Vaziri, A. A. (1967). Geography of Kerman. Edited by Dr. Ebrahim Bastani Parizi. Bahman Press. Tehran.
Verma, R. S., Padalia, R. C., Chauhan, A., Singh, A., and Yadav, A. K. (2011). Volatile constituents of essential oil and rose water of damask rose (Rosa damascena Mill) cultivars from North Indian hills. Natural product research. 25(17): 1577-1584.
Yassa, N., Masoomi, F., Rankouhi, S. R., and Hadjiakinoondi, A. (2009). Chemical composition and antioxidant activity of the extract and essential oil of Rosa damascena from Iran, population of Guilan. DARU Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. 17(3): 175-180.