Hello,
Research papers are mostly focused on lab-scale lipid extraction which most of them are not cost-effective. Also, old methods such as Folch and Bligh & Dyer are not environmentally friendly.
I wanted to know which lipid extraction method from microalgae is currently available and is being used on the pilot and industrial scale (environmentally friendly and cost-effective)?
Thank you so much,
Hello Nima,
kindly look at this paper.
https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9717/9/1/10/pdf
Currently, the solvent extraction technique is most widely used for lipid extraction as they provide the highest lipid recovery. Adopting the mechanical methods, although environmentally friendly and economic, is not considerable due to poor recovery and the possible dilapidation of lipids. Solvent-free methods appear significant only at the lab. scale however further investigations are required for minimal use of solvents for large-scale commercialization.
As Mohammad Yusuf mentioned mechanical methods are environmentally friendly, economic and offer poor recovery. Therefore, to enhance the overall efficiency and yield of extraction mechanical methods are often combined with solvent extraction.
Here the general principle is that, mechanical methods disrupt the cell & release the metabolites (lipids, proteins, carbohydrates) and the solvent preferentially dissolves the metabolites of interest.
Thus, they act complimentary to each other. It is cost effective, offers good recovery and requires less solvent than conventional solvent extractions. Hence, this hybrid method is widely used for large scale and industrial extraction procedures.
Hope my answer is useful.
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