Extraction Efficiency Calculator

1) What Extraction Efficiency Means

Extraction efficiency is the percentage of a target quantity transferred from feed to extract. In lab and process work, it helps compare methods, solvents, contact time, and mixing intensity. Higher efficiency usually means fewer losses to residue, equipment surfaces, or side reactions.

2) Key Outputs You Should Track

The calculator reports efficiency, loss, and optional mass-balance error. Loss is 100% minus efficiency. If you enter a remaining amount, the balance check highlights inconsistencies between measurements. Many teams treat balance errors within ±2% to ±5% as a useful quality signal.

3) Efficiency Formula Used

The core equation is: Efficiency (%) = (Recovered / Initial) × 100. “Recovered” is the corrected extract amount, and “Initial” is the corrected feed amount. When you enable stages, recovered becomes the sum of stage entries, and the table shows cumulative recovery.

4) Mass Basis vs Mole Basis

Use mass basis for gravimetric results (mg, g, kg) and mole basis for stoichiometric tracking (mmol, mol). If you provide molar mass, the calculator converts between mass and moles for reporting. This is helpful when analytical data are molar but inventory and handling are mass-based.

5) Unit and Concentration Conversions

You can enter amounts directly or as concentration × volume. Supported mass concentrations include g/L, mg/mL, mg/L, and ppm (treated as mg/L in aqueous work). For molar concentrations, mol/L and mmol/L are supported. Internally, the calculator converts to base units to keep comparisons consistent.

6) Blank and Moisture Corrections

Blank correction subtracts background contribution from solvent, containers, or instrumentation. Corrected values are clipped at zero to avoid negative recoveries. Moisture correction converts wet measurements to dry-basis using: Dry = Wet × (1 − moisture/100). Apply the same correction rules across all samples to improve comparability.

7) Multi‑Stage Extraction Performance

Multi-stage extraction can increase overall recovery when a single contact is insufficient. Enter a list of stage amounts to see stage-wise and cumulative recovery percentages. A common pattern is diminishing returns, where later stages add smaller gains. The cumulative table helps justify the final stage count and solvent usage.

8) Partition Planning, Replicates, and Uncertainty

With a distribution ratio K (or D), the theoretical remaining fraction after one stage is f = 1 / (1 + K·Vorg/Vaq), and after n stages it becomes f^n. Replicates provide mean, SD, and RSD for repeatability checks. Optional uncertainty propagation estimates an efficiency ±% from σ values.

FAQs

1) Is extraction efficiency the same as yield?

Not always. Efficiency here is recovered divided by initial for the target amount. “Yield” may include purity, byproducts, or overall process output. Use efficiency to compare extraction steps under consistent definitions.

2) Why can recovered appear higher than initial?

Common reasons include unit mismatches, uncorrected blanks, moisture differences, calibration drift, or transcription errors. Check the selected basis, units, and concentration×volume entries. The mass-balance check can also reveal inconsistencies.

3) How do I use concentration × volume mode?

Choose “Concentration × Volume,” enter concentration and volume, then select the correct units. The calculator converts to base units (g or mol) internally. Ensure your concentration is for the same species you are tracking.

4) What does blank correction change?

It subtracts a background amount measured from a blank sample or instrument baseline. This reduces systematic bias when signals include solvent, container, or detector contributions. Results are clipped at zero to avoid negative recovered amounts.

5) How should I interpret mass-balance error?

Error is initial minus (recovered + remaining). Values close to zero indicate consistent measurements. Larger positive or negative errors suggest losses, evaporation, sampling bias, or measurement noise. Report the percent error for easy comparison across runs.

6) When should I use the partition model?

Use it when you know a reasonable distribution ratio K (or D) and phase volumes. It gives a theoretical recovery estimate, helpful for planning solvent ratio and stage count. Real systems may deviate due to kinetics, emulsions, or changing K.

7) How is uncertainty on efficiency estimated?

If you supply σ for initial and recovered totals, the calculator propagates uncertainty using: σeff/eff = √[(σR/R)² + (σA0/A0)²]. This provides an approximate ±% for reporting alongside the efficiency result.