Supercritical CO 2 provides considerable advantages over traditional solvents for the
extraction of bioactive compounds from organic matter. Here we demonstrate the use of
supercritical CO 2 as an efficient and safe alternative to traditional solvent extraction for the
recovery of bioactive Tyrian purple precursors tyrindoleninone, 6-bromoisatin and tyriverdin
from the marine mollusc Dicathais orbita. The effect of pressure on the selective extraction of
brominated indoles was tested at 15, 30 and 50 MPa CO 2, and was compared to traditional …