Tailor-made solvents for microbial carotenoids recovery

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology and Biochemistry
• Green Chemistry
• Natural Product Extraction

Background:

• Microbial carotenoids are valuable compounds with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, crucial for food and pharmaceutical applications.
• Traditional extraction methods rely on toxic volatile organic solvents (VOCs), posing environmental and health risks.
• Ionic liquids (ILs) and deep eutectic solvents (DES) represent novel, eco-friendly alternatives for microbial carotenoid recovery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advances in using ILs and DES for extracting microbial carotenoids.
• To explore the application of in silico tools for predicting carotenoid solubility in ILs and DES.
• To assess the potential of ILs and DES as sustainable solvents for microbial carotenoid production.

Main Methods:

• Literature review focusing on IL and DES applications in microbial carotenoid extraction.
• Analysis of in silico methodologies for solvent screening and solubility prediction.
• Evaluation of the physicochemical properties of ILs and DES relevant to carotenoid recovery.

Main Results:

• ILs and DES possess tunable properties suitable for microbial carotenoid extraction.
• In silico tools can aid in selecting optimal ILs and DES, reducing experimental effort.
• Current applications of ILs and DES for carotenoid recovery are primarily in the research phase.

Conclusions:

• ILs and DES offer significant advantages for microbial carotenoid recovery, aligning with green chemistry principles.
• While promising, the industrial-scale economic viability and practical implementation of ILs and DES require further investigation.
• Continued research is essential to bridge the gap between scientific exploration and industrial application of these novel solvents.