Abstract: Methods for extracting and recovering bioactive components from a biomass feedstock with pressurized aqueous solvent solutions comprising one or more organic solutes and/or one or more inorganic solutes. The methods comprise the steps of: (i) preparing a selected aqueous solvent solution for pressurizing; (ii) providing a flow of the prepared aqueous solvent solution to a plant biomass feedstock contained within a pressure-resistant temperature-controllable reactor vessel (iii) warming the flow of aqueous solvent solution and the contents of the reactor vessel to a selected temperature; (iv) pressurizing the flow of the aqueous solvent solution and the contents of the reactor vessel to a selected pressure; (v) controllably flowing the pressurized aqueous solvent solution through the reactor vessel while maintaining the contents of the reactor vessel at the selected pressure; and (vi) collecting a flow of the pressurized aqueous solvent solution egressing from the reactor vessel for a selected period of time.

Abstract: An apparatus for extraction and recovery of components from biomass feedstocks with pressurized low polarity water. The apparatus is configured with four or more reaction columns, wherein each column is in separate communication with a supply of hot water, a first supply of pressurized heated water, a second supply of pressurized heated water, and a supply of pressurized cooling water. Components may be extracted concurrently from two or more batches of the biomass by, first placing the two batches of biomass into two selected columns, separately flooding the two columns with pressurized water, heating the columns and their contents to the point where the water becomes pressurized low polarity (PLP) water, recovering the PLP water comprising the extracted components from the two selected columns, cooling the columns with PLP water, and removing the spent biomass material from the columns.