Selection and optimisation of a method for efficient metabolites extraction from microalgae.

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Biomass Processing
• Metabolomics

Background:

• Microalgae offer potential for biofuel production and carbon capture, but high processing costs hinder profitability.
• Identifying high-value by-products is crucial to optimize microalgal biomass value.
• Efficient extraction of intracellular metabolites is necessary for high-throughput screening.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a high-yield metabolite extraction technique for microalgae.
• To overcome challenges in extracting diverse and bound molecules from microalgal cells.
• To identify optimal cell disruption methods for comprehensive metabolite recovery.

Main Methods:

• Laboratory-scale testing of various cell disruption techniques.
• Application of techniques to microalgal models: Porphyridium purpureum and Phaeodactylum tricornutum.
• Evaluation of extraction yields for a wide range of metabolite polarities.

Main Results:

• A mixer mill demonstrated superior performance in disrupting microalgal cells.
• The mixer mill enabled access to a broad diversity of intracellular metabolites.
• This method facilitates high-throughput screening of microalgal compounds.

Conclusions:

• The mixer mill is an effective technique for high-yield microalgal metabolite extraction.
• This approach enhances the potential for discovering valuable by-products from microalgae.
• Optimized extraction methods are vital for the economic viability of microalgae-based applications.