Which of the following characteristics make supercritical carbon dioxide ($scCO_2$) an ideal solvent for extracting high-value essential oils and oleoresins from agricultural spices?
Options:
(A) Low critical temperature ($T_c = 31.1^\circ\text{C}$) preventing thermal degradation of heat-sensitive bioactives
(B) Complete absence of toxic solvent residues in the extract upon simple depressurization
(C) Solvent power and selectivity that can be finely tuned by adjusting extraction pressure and temperature
(D) High flammability and explosive risk requiring specialized nitrogen blanketing
Answer Key:
A, B, C
Step-by-Step Solution & Explanation
$CO_2$ has $T_c = 31.1^\circ\text{C}, P_c = 7.38\text{ MPa}$, is non-toxic, non-flammable, GRAS, and leaves zero residues because it turns gaseous at ambient pressure (A, B, C). Statement D is FALSE because $CO_2$ is inert and completely non-flammable.