Extraction of valuable biocompounds assisted by high voltage electrical discharges: A review

The application of strong electric fields in gases, water and organic liquids has been studied for several years, because of its importance in electrical transmission processes and its practical applications in biology, chemistry, and electrochemistry. More recently, electrical discharges have been investigated and are being developed in water for enhancing the extraction of biocompounds from different raw materials. This paper reviews the current status of research on the application of high voltage electrical discharges for promoting cell disruption in aqueous suspension of biological materials, with particular emphasis on application to biocompounds extraction.