| Summary: | Ferulic and p-coumaric acids are essential phenolic acids found in plants and have traditionally been extracted with organic solvents. However, solvent-based extraction is hazardous and can be inefficient. Ionic liquids offer a promising alternative due to their customizable properties, improved efficiency, and selectivity in extraction. In this study, p-coumaric and ferulic acids were successfully extracted using the ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) method in the presence of hydrophobic ionic liquid. The study aimed to assess the impact of different important parameters on the extraction efficiency of p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid. Under optimal conditions, the temperature, pH, volume ratio of ionic liquid to acid, and extraction time for p-coumaric and ferulic acid were 60ºC, pH 2, 1: 1 v/v, and 3 mins, respectively, with an average extraction efficiency of more than 80% for both p-coumaric and ferulic acids. The optimal method achieved the maximum extraction efficiency in the shortest time compared to extraction using a conventional solvent. These findings indicate that an ionic liquid ultrasonic-assisted extraction (ILUAE) was an efficient method to reliably extract ferulic and p-coumaric acids in a reproducible and environmentally friendly manner. © 2024 Malaysian Institute of Chemistry. All rights reserved.
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