Heat-Dependent Adsorption of Highly Branched Mesoporous SiO2 for Multiple Aromatic Compounds in Tangerine Peel

The extraction of active aromatic components from tangerine peel is a key challenge due to the limitations of traditional methods in terms of yield, selectivity, and efficiency. This study presents a novel approach using highly branched mesoporous SiO₂ (HB-MSN) with a large pore structure to selectively adsorb multiple aromatic compounds in tangerine peel. HB-MSN with adjustable pore sizes and high surface area can offer distinct advantages over traditional SiO₂ nanoparticles, particularly for the adsorption of complex molecules in a natural matrix. Herein, the chromatographic method was developed for efficient separation and corresponding qualitative detection of six key aromatic compounds in tangerine peel. Meanwhile, the adsorption mechanisms and models were used to investigate the interaction between HB-MSN and such six aromatic components, focusing on the influence of heat-driven effect on the efficiency of the adsorption. Thermodynamic and kinetic analyses demonstrated that thermal energy not only accelerates the movement of aromatic compounds in solution, facilitating their diffusion toward the surface of HB-MSN through local concentration gradients but also enhances the adsorption effect by promoting mass transfer within the adsorbent particles. Therefore, the thermally driven acceleration effect is the mainly adsorption mechanism of HB-MSN for aromatic compounds in complex systems. This research provides a foundation for the sustainable adsorption and analysis of tangerine peel’s bioactive fragrance compounds, with potential applications in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries.