Laboratory for the analysis and extraction of your samples by Soxhlet
You want to carry out a Soxhlet extraction on your samples?
What is the Soxhlet method?
The Soxhlet method is an essential solid–liquid extraction technique in analytical chemistry and material characterization.
It is a laboratory process used to recover substances contained within a solid. The technique involves repeatedly circulating a solvent that evaporates and then condenses onto the sample, ensuring a gradual and efficient extraction of the targeted compounds into the liquid phase.
At the FILAB laboratory, we implement the Soxhlet method as part of analytical and development services tailored to your industrial needs.
The Soxhlet method remains a benchmark in many industrial sectors for the analysis of solid organic compounds.
Whether for a purity study, an analysis of organic residues, or sample preparation prior to chromatography, FILAB supports you at every stage, from selecting the protocol to interpreting the results.
When should Soxhlet extraction be used?
Soxhlet extraction is used in many fields where it is necessary to isolate, purify, or quantify organic compounds present in solid matrices.
In the chemical industry and the polymer sector, the Soxhlet method is used to determine the content of plasticizers, solvents, additives, or formulation agents present in materials. It also makes it possible to evaluate the extraction rates of oils, waxes, or organic residues in polymeric or composite matrices.
FILAB supports you in your Soxhlet extraction analyses
Thanks to its expertise in polymer characterization and chemical analysis, FILAB offers tailored analytical services to identify, quantify, or extract substances from solid matrices.
Our laboratory relies on a dual expertise in chemistry and material characterization, ensuring reliable analyses tailored to your needs.
Our Soxhlet analysis services
FILAB carries out your sample analyses using the Soxhlet method as part of services tailored to your industrial, regulatory, or research needs.
Our services include:
- The determination of organic matter content (fats, oils, waxes, residual solvents) in your solid samples.
- The analysis of contamination or migration of organic compounds in polymers, packaging, or technical materials.
- Quality control and process validation to ensure your finished products comply with requirements.
- Failure analysis related to the presence of undesirable organic compounds.
FILAB provides support for one-off analyses, recurring control campaigns, or the development of tailor-made protocols.
Our technical resources in addition to Soxhlet extraction
Why choose FILAB?
Calling on FILAB means benefiting from an experienced analytical partner, recognized for the quality of its services and its responsiveness.
With more than thirty years of experience in material characterization and chemical analysis, the laboratory relies on validated methods that comply with international standards. Each service is tailored to the specific industrial and regulatory requirements of every client.
With reliable, interpretable, and actionable results, FILAB helps you better understand your materials, control your processes, and ensure the compliance of your products.
FAQ
Soxhlet extraction is a solid–liquid method used to isolate organic compounds from a solid sample. It is based on a continuous cycle of solvent evaporation, condensation, and percolation, ensuring exhaustive and reproducible extraction.
Developed by chemist Franz von Soxhlet in 1879, the Soxhlet method is a solid–liquid extraction process based on the repeated dissolution of a target compound using a continuously recycled hot solvent.
The principle relies on a reflux system: the heated solvent evaporates, condenses, passes through the solid sample, and returns to the boiling flask while carrying the substances of interest. After several cycles, a concentrated extract containing the desired organic compounds is obtained.
This method is particularly effective for extracting compounds that are poorly volatile or only slightly soluble at room temperature. It remains a benchmark in laboratories for the exhaustive and selective extraction of organic substances.
A Soxhlet extraction is carried out in several successive steps:
1- Sample preparation: drying, grinding, and homogenization to enhance contact between the matrix and the solvent.
2- Solvent selection: chosen based on the solubility of the compound to be extracted (hexane, acetone, dichloromethane, ethanol, toluene, etc.).
3- Reflux extraction: the solvent is heated, evaporates, condenses in the extractor, and percolates through the sample. The cycle repeats multiple times, ensuring complete extraction of the target compounds.
4- Extract concentration: once extraction is complete, the solvent is evaporated to recover the dry residue containing the analytes.
This process ensures exhaustive, precise, and reproducible extraction of organic substances, without altering the compound, regardless of the nature and complexity of the analyzed matrix.
The method applies to many types of samples. It is particularly suitable for compounds that are poorly volatile or only slightly soluble.
The solvent is selected based on the solubility of the compound to be extracted. The most common ones are hexane, acetone, dichloromethane, ethanol, and toluene. FILAB always chooses the solvent best suited to your matrix and analytical objectives.
This method ensures a complete, standardized, and reproducible extraction. It allows samples to be prepared for subsequent analyses (GC-MS, HPLC, FTIR, etc.) and remains the reference technique for quantifying organic compounds in solid materials.
FILAB provides you with comprehensive support, from defining the protocol to interpreting the results. Thanks to multidisciplinary expertise, modern equipment, and proven responsiveness, we guarantee reliable and actionable results.
