Lipid extraction from biomass using co-solvent mixtures of ionic liquids and polar covalent molecules

The applicability of ionic liquid-polar covalent molecule co-solvent systems to extract bio-oils from biomass is evaluated. In our approach the extracted lipids are auto-partitioned to a separate immiscible phase for ease of harvesting. We propose that the action of the polar covalent molecule is largely to disrupt the cell wall and to improve the efficiency at which the lipid is extracted from the biomass. As ionic liquid solutions are both amphiphilic and characterized by strong “self-associating” ionic bonding between the cations and anions, we propose that the action of the ionic liquid is to facilitate the transfer of the lipids to the surface interface where they auto partition into a self-associating and separate phase. The potential of the co-solvent system to co-extract protein is also noted.