Use of marine algae for co-producing alkenones, alkenone derivatives, and co-products
Inventors
Reddy, Christopher M. • O'Neil, Gregory W. • Lindell, Scott R.
Assignees
Marine Biological Laboratory • Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution • Western Washington University
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Publication Number
US-11634738-B2
Publication Date
2023-04-25
Expiration Date
Abstract
A method comprising a series of selective extraction techniques for the parallel production of biodiesel and isolation of several valuable co-products including an alkenone hydrocarbon mixture of the kerosene/jet fuel range (primarily C10-, C12-, and C17-hydrocarbons) and fucoxanthin, a high-valued carotenoid, from the marine alkenone-producing microalgae Isochrysis.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a method of isolating at least one product from algae by growing an algal mariculture capable of producing alkenones. A marine biorefinery approach is described in which marine alkenone-producing microalgae are used as a feedstock to co-produce a biofuel product and additional valuable co-products.
The method isolates products by extracting the algal mariculture with a non-polar liquid solvent to produce an extraction mixture. The extraction mixture is separated into at least a first fraction and a second fraction, where the first fraction is a lipid-containing mixture including alkenones and less than 50% (w/v) fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs).
Alkenones are isolated from the first fraction by isolating a mixture of alkenones, lipids, and FAMEs from the first fraction. The described system supports obtaining alkenone-derived fuel precursors in the kerosene/jet-fuel range and recovering valuable biomass co-products such as fucoxanthin.
Claims Coverage
Independent claim clm-00001 contains 4 core inventive features: growing an algal mariculture capable of producing alkenones, extracting with a non-polar liquid solvent, separating into a first fraction and second fraction with a defined composition constraint for the first fraction, and isolating an alkenone/lipid/FAME mixture from the first fraction.
Growing an algal mariculture capable of producing alkenones
Growing an algal mariculture capable of producing alkenones.
Extracting with a non-polar liquid solvent
Extracting the algal mariculture with a non-polar liquid solvent to produce an extraction mixture.
Separating into first and second fractions with a first-fraction composition constraint
Separating the extraction mixture into at least a first fraction and a second fraction, wherein the first fraction is a lipid-containing mixture including alkenones and less than 50% (w/v) fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs).
Isolating an alkenones/lipids/FAME mixture from the first fraction
Isolating a mixture of alkenones, lipids, and FAMEs from the first fraction.
The claims cover isolating at least one product from algae through a mariculture-to-extraction-to-fractionation workflow in which a lipid-containing first fraction is defined by containing alkenones and less than 50% (w/v) FAMEs, followed by isolating an alkenones/lipids/FAME mixture from that first fraction.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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