Ionic Liquid Cell Lysis for Algae Lipid Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for processing algae and other biomass using ionic liquids are inefficient due to high energy and material consumption in recycling, phase separation difficulties with small lipid volumes, and environmental concerns from phosphate salts, necessitating improved methods for lipid extraction and ionic liquid reuse.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that uses a clarified ionic liquid cell lysate to repeatedly lyse algae without intermediate purification steps, enhancing lipid extraction efficiency by forming separate phases and allowing for the reuse of purified ionic liquids, with optional addition of fatty acids to improve phase separation and water-methanol mixtures for debris precipitation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ionic liquid is recycled through heating and purification steps, then ionic liquid can be reused, but energy consumption increases and ionic liquid may decompose
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes solid debris from the cell lysate through filtration or centrifugation before recycling the ionic liquid. This extraction step eliminates the need for extensive heating and purification, reducing energy consumption while maintaining ionic liquid reusability and preventing decomposition.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary removal of solid debris through filtration or centrifugation before the ionic liquid recycling process. This preliminary action prevents contaminants from accumulating during recycling, reducing the need for energy-intensive heating steps and preventing ionic liquid decomposition.
2Ease of manufacture
If phosphate salts are used for salting out ionic liquid, then ionic liquid can be separated, but environmental damage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive and environmentally harmful phosphate salts with alternative salting-out agents such as sodium chloride or potassium chloride. These alternative salts are cheaper, environmentally benign, and effectively enable ionic liquid separation through salting out, eliminating environmental damage while maintaining separation efficiency.
3Productivity
If ionic liquid is used to lyse cells, then cells can be lysed and components extracted, but ionic liquid must be recycled with minimal losses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cell lysis process into distinct phases: (1) cell lysis using ionic liquid, (2) removal of solid debris through filtration or centrifugation, and (3) recycling of the ionic liquid. This segmentation allows for minimal ionic liquid loss by separating the ionic liquid from solid contaminants, enabling efficient recycling while maintaining high cell lysis efficiency.
4Manufacturing precision
If ionic liquid is heated to remove water, then ionic liquid can be purified, but ionic liquid may decompose
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes water and other contaminants from the cell lysate through filtration or centrifugation before recycling the ionic liquid. This extraction approach achieves ionic liquid purification without requiring high-temperature heating, thereby maintaining ionic liquid stability and preventing decomposition while achieving the required purity level.
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
This approach increases lipid content with each lysis iteration, reduces energy and material consumption, and allows for multiple cycles of ionic liquid reuse without decomposition, improving the efficiency and sustainability of lipid extraction from algae and other biomass.
Implementation Method 1
the formation of separate hydrophilic and hydrophobic phases
Implementation Method 2
water-methanol mixtures for debris precipitation
Data Source
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AI summary
A method and system for processing cells involves the use of an ionic liquid-containing clarified cell lysate to lyse cells. The resulting crude cell lysate may be clarified and subsequently used to lyse algae cells. The process may be repeated a number of times before a clarified lysate is separated into lipid and aqueous phases for further processing and/or purification of desired products.