Improvement of hydrocarbon recovery by spouting solvent into culture of botryococcus braunii

Seung Phill Choi, Sang Hoon Bahn, Sang Jun Sim

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

12 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Botryococcus braunii, a green microalga, is known to produce plentiful liquid hydrocarbons as promising biodiesel resources. However, the hydrocarbon extraction methods that have so far achieved have several problems such as low efficiency and high cost. In our study, a solvent-spouted extraction process integrated with photo-bioculture was designed for simultaneous realization of hydrocarbon extraction and cell culture in two phases. The n-octane was selected as the best solvent among several solvents because its biocompatibility was highest for B. braunii. As a result, high level of biomass and hydrocarbon, 4.17 and 893.79 mg/L, respectively, was attained at 100 mL/min of solvent recycling rate through three times of processes for 66 days. Moreover, formation of cell clump was suppressed in solvent extraction, cells were regenerated after it, and thus cell viability was maintained even after repeated cycles of it. Finally, this solventspouted culture process required the smaller cost due to reuse of the less solvent and regenerated cells, compared with the other conventional methods. Accordingly, this technique would be applicable to exploit the continuous extraction of hydrocarbon from the algal biomass, especially for application on a large scale.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1977-1985
Number of pages9
JournalBioprocess and Biosystems Engineering
Volume36
Issue number12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2013 Nov

Keywords

  • Botryococcus braunii
  • Cell regeneration
  • Hydrocarbon
  • N-octane
  • Solvent extraction

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biotechnology
  • Bioengineering

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