Selective extraction of proteins from saltwater algae
First Claim
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1. A method of selectively separating algal proteins from a saltwater algal biomass or saltwater algal culture comprising intact algal cells, the method comprising:
- harvesting algae from the saltwater algal biomass or saltwater algal culture;
dewatering the harvested algae to remove at least some water from the harvested algae, to yield a wet algal biomass fraction comprising intact algal cells;
extracting said wet algal biomass fraction with a first solvent set, yielding a first biomass fraction comprising intact algal cells and a first liquid phase;
separating said first biomass fraction from said first liquid phase;
extracting said first biomass fraction with a second solvent set, yielding a second biomass fraction comprising intact algal cells and a second liquid phase;
separating said second biomass fraction from said second liquid phase; and
removing at least some of said first solvent set from said first liquid phase to yield a mixture comprising the algal proteins, wherein the second solvent set has a lower polarity than the first solvent set, the first liquid phase has a higher concentration of proteins than the second liquid phase, and the second liquid phase has a higher concentration of polar lipids than the first liquid phase.
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Abstract
Methods for selective extraction and fractionation of algal proteins from an algal biomass or algal culture are disclosed. A method of selective removal of products from an algal biomass provides for single and multistep extraction processes which allow for efficient separation of algal proteins. These proteins can be used as renewable sources of proteins for animal feedstocks and human food. Further, lipids remaining in the algal biomass after extraction of proteins can be used to generate renewable fuels.
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9 Claims
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1. A method of selectively separating algal proteins from a saltwater algal biomass or saltwater algal culture comprising intact algal cells, the method comprising:
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harvesting algae from the saltwater algal biomass or saltwater algal culture; dewatering the harvested algae to remove at least some water from the harvested algae, to yield a wet algal biomass fraction comprising intact algal cells; extracting said wet algal biomass fraction with a first solvent set, yielding a first biomass fraction comprising intact algal cells and a first liquid phase; separating said first biomass fraction from said first liquid phase; extracting said first biomass fraction with a second solvent set, yielding a second biomass fraction comprising intact algal cells and a second liquid phase; separating said second biomass fraction from said second liquid phase; and removing at least some of said first solvent set from said first liquid phase to yield a mixture comprising the algal proteins, wherein the second solvent set has a lower polarity than the first solvent set, the first liquid phase has a higher concentration of proteins than the second liquid phase, and the second liquid phase has a higher concentration of polar lipids than the first liquid phase. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification