Compounds, compositions, and methods for recovering water-immiscible compounds from microbial biomass
Inventors
HENRY, RONALD RAY • LENG, JOSHUA STEVEN
Assignees
Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-12031169-B2
Publication Date
2024-07-09
Expiration Date
Abstract
Provided herein are compounds, compositions, and methods for recovery of one or more water-immiscible compounds from microbial biomass.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a method for recovering one or more water immiscible compounds from a microbial biomass. The method includes acidifying the microbial biomass, disrupting the microbial biomass, and heating the microbial biomass, followed by contacting the microbial biomass with a surfactant in an amount sufficient to release at least 30% of the one or more water immiscible compounds from the microbial biomass. The released compounds are then recovered.
The water immiscible compounds comprise an isoprenoid, a polyketide, or a fatty acid. The document emphasizes that the surfactant contacting step is sufficient to release at least 30% of the target water immiscible compounds from the microbial biomass, and the recovered compounds are obtained after the contacting and recovery steps.
The described processing further includes embodiments where acidification, disruption, heating, and surfactant contacting are sequenced or performed with order options, and where quantitative release or recovery thresholds are achieved. The partial content also highlights destabilization of fermentation emulsions/dead cell layers using ordered or overlapping acidification, together with cell disruption and heating, and surfactants including sulfonated/disulfonated phenyl ether detergents such as DOWFAX™ 2A1 and TERGITOL™ L-62.
Claims Coverage
The document provides one independent claim directed to a multi-step recovery method with an explicit release threshold, followed by dependent claims that specify quantitative and compositional refinements. Across the independent claim, there are inventive features centered on acidifying, disrupting, heating, and surfactant contacting to achieve release of at least 30% of the targeted water-immiscible compounds (isoprenoids, polyketides, or fatty acids).
Acidifying, disrupting, and heating microbial biomass
The method comprises acidifying the microbial biomass, disrupting the microbial biomass, and heating the microbial biomass.
Surfactant contacting to release at least 30%
The method comprises contacting the microbial biomass with a surfactant in an amount sufficient to release at least 30% of the one or more water immiscible compounds from the microbial biomass.
Recovering water-immiscible compounds including isoprenoid, polyketide, or fatty acid
The method comprises recovering the one or more water immiscible compounds, wherein the water immiscible compounds comprise an isoprenoid, a polyketide, or a fatty acid.
Claim coverage is anchored by the independent method requiring sequential acidifying, disrupting, and heating of microbial biomass followed by surfactant contacting to release at least 30% of specified water-immiscible compounds, and then recovering the released compounds. Dependent claims refine the approach with quantitative release thresholds and more specific surfactant or compound selections.
Stated Advantages
Improved liberation/breaking of dead cell layer emulsions, as indicated by reported release/recovery outcomes in the partial content.
Higher recovery of crude target compounds is reported in the partial content (e.g., crude farnesene recovery with stated release thresholds).
Effects on surfactant consumption are reported in the partial content for larger-scale processing.
Documented Applications
Recovery of water-immiscible compounds from microbial biomass, including isoprenoids (e.g., farnesene), polyketides, and fatty acids.
Recovery targeting dead cell layer emulsions associated with fermentation processing (as reflected by the partial content discussion).
Larger-scale processing (bench/pilot/300 L) for compound recovery, including recycling/clarification steps (as described in the partial content).
Interested in licensing this patent?