Algal Biomass Extraction Using Organic Solvents
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for extracting phycocyanin, chlorophyll, and proteins from spirulina biomass are inefficient, leading to low yield and purity due to issues with filtration, centrifugation, and impurity removal, particularly when using wet and freshly harvested biomass, which complicates commercial-scale production.
Innovation Solution
A process involving cooling, pressure homogenization, acidic salt solution extraction, centrifugation, solvent treatment, and repeated separation steps to isolate and purify phycocyanin, chlorophyll, and hydrolysed proteins from wet algal biomass, optimizing conditions such as pH, temperature, and solvent use to enhance yield and purity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional filtration and centrifugation methods are used to separate biomass from phycocyanin, then separation is achieved, but the process becomes lengthy and cumbersome with low filtration rates and requires flocculants that reduce purity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical-chemical parameters of the extraction system by using organic solvents (acetone, ethanol, or methanol) instead of traditional aqueous extraction methods. This parameter change fundamentally alters the solubility characteristics and separation behavior, enabling faster filtration rates and shorter process times without requiring flocculants, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and process time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical separation systems (centrifugation and extensive filtration) with a chemical extraction approach using organic solvents. This substitution eliminates the need for lengthy mechanical separation processes and flocculant addition, directly addressing the contradiction by reducing both process time and maintaining high filtration rates
2Quantity of substance
If traditional extraction methods are used on wet biomass, then extraction is achieved, but yield and purity are reduced due to inefficiency in removing impurities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by introducing organic solvents (acetone, ethanol, or methanol) that selectively dissolve phycocyanin while leaving impurities behind. This chemical parameter change enables simultaneous achievement of high yield (by effectively extracting phycocyanin) and high purity (by leaving impurities in the biomass residue), resolving the contradiction between quantity and manufacturing precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the extraction principle by using organic solvents to selectively extract phycocyanin from wet biomass. The solvent selectively dissolves the desired compound while leaving impurities in the solid phase, enabling both high yield recovery and high purity isolation in a single extraction operation, thus resolving the contradiction between quantity of substance and manufacturing precision
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple separation and purification steps are added to improve purity, then phycocyanin purity increases, but the process complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a single selective extraction operation with organic solvents to achieve high purity phycocyanin isolation. This single-step extraction replaces multiple sequential purification steps, maintaining manufacturing precision (purity) while significantly reducing device complexity and process complexity, thus resolving the contradiction between purity and complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent achieves high purity through a parameter change (using organic solvents with specific solubility characteristics) rather than through multiple separation steps. This chemical parameter approach allows single-step extraction to deliver the same or better purity than traditional multi-step methods, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and device complexity
4Quantity of substance
If traditional aqueous extraction is used, then extraction is achieved, but the water extract has very high microbiology count making the process unviable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the extraction medium from aqueous to organic solvents (acetone, ethanol, or methanol). This parameter change fundamentally alters the extraction characteristics: organic solvents effectively extract phycocyanin while being inherently less supportive of microbial growth compared to water, thus resolving the contradiction between extraction efficiency and microbiology control
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the aqueous extraction system with an organic solvent extraction system. This substitution eliminates the high microbiology count problem associated with water-based extracts while maintaining effective phycocyanin extraction, as organic solvents create an environment less favorable for microbial proliferation, thus resolving the contradiction between quantity of substance and harmful factors
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The process achieves a higher yield and purity of phycocyanin, chlorophyll, and proteins, making it suitable for commercial-scale production by effectively addressing the inefficiencies of previous methods and improving the extraction efficiency from freshly harvested wet biomass.
Implementation Method 1
cooling the aqueous solution of algal biomass
Implementation Method 2
pressure homogenizing the wet algal biomass and extraction of the biomass with salt solution
Implementation Method 3
subjecting the suspension to a separation process to separate filtrate and residue
Implementation Method 4
concentrating the filtrate followed by washing with solvent to remove impurities
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is in the field of ‘pharmacognosy’ and ‘chemistry of natural products’. The present disclosure generally relates to a process of isolation and purification of Biochemical Constituents from algae. The present disclosure particularly relates to a process of isolation and purification of Biochemical Constituents from a biomass of cyanobacteria. The present disclosure provides a process for isolating and extracting phycocyanins, chlorophylls, proteins and polysaccharides from the spirulina biomass.