What is a major drawback of using a non-polar solvent in extraction?

What is a major drawback of using a non-polar solvent in extraction?

• A. Non-polar compounds will dissolve too efficiently
• B. Polar compounds will not dissolve effectively
• C. It cannot separate different compounds
• D. It poses a higher risk of evaporation

Answer: (B)

Using a non-polar solvent in extraction primarily leads to the limitation that polar compounds will not dissolve effectively. The principle behind solvent extraction relies on the concept of "like dissolves like," meaning that polar solvents are more effective for extracting polar compounds, while non-polar solvents preferentially dissolve non-polar substances. If a non-polar solvent is used, polar compounds—such as salts, acids, or alcohols—will remain largely insoluble, thereby limiting the extraction process. This results in an incomplete extraction of the desired polar compounds and can lead to losses of valuable substances, thereby decreasing the overall efficiency of the extraction. This limitation does not imply that non-polar solvents cannot hydrate or separate any compounds, nor does it necessarily increase the risk of evaporation in a way that affects the extraction's effectiveness. While there can be risks associated with non-polar solvents, such as their volatility, the critical issue here is their inability to solubilize polar compounds effectively.

Using a non-polar solvent in extraction primarily leads to the limitation that polar compounds will not dissolve effectively. The principle behind solvent extraction relies on the concept of "like dissolves like," meaning that polar solvents are more effective for extracting polar compounds, while non-polar solvents preferentially dissolve non-polar substances.

If a non-polar solvent is used, polar compounds—such as salts, acids, or alcohols—will remain largely insoluble, thereby limiting the extraction process. This results in an incomplete extraction of the desired polar compounds and can lead to losses of valuable substances, thereby decreasing the overall efficiency of the extraction.

This limitation does not imply that non-polar solvents cannot hydrate or separate any compounds, nor does it necessarily increase the risk of evaporation in a way that affects the extraction's effectiveness. While there can be risks associated with non-polar solvents, such as their volatility, the critical issue here is their inability to solubilize polar compounds effectively.