Evaluation of green solvents: Oil extraction from oleaginous yeast Lipomyces starkeyi using cyclopentyl methyl ether (CPME)

Abstract

Cyclopentyl methyl ether (CPME) was evaluated for extracting oil or triacylglycerol (TAG) from wet cells of the oleaginous yeast Lipomyces starkeyi. CPME is a greener alternative to chloroform as a potential solvent for oil recovery. A monophasic system of CPME and biphasic system of CPME:water (1:0.7) performed poorly having the lowest TAG extraction efficiency and TAG selectivity compared to other monophasic systems of hexane and chloroform and the biphasic Bligh and Dyer method (chloroform:methanol:water). Biphasic systems of CPME:water:alcohol (methanol/ethanol/1-propanol) were tested and methanol achieved the best oil extraction efficiency compared to ethanol and 1-propanol. Different biphasic systems of CPME:methanol:water were tested, the best TAG extraction efficiency and TAG selectivity achieved was 9.9 mg/mL and 64.6%, respectively, using a starting ratio of 1:1.7:0.6 and a final ratio of 1:1:0.8 (CPME:methanol:water). Similar results were achieved for the Bligh and Dyer method (TAG extraction efficiency of 10.2 mg/mL and TAG selectivity of 66.0%) indicating that the biphasic CPME system was comparable. The fatty acid profile remained constant across all the solvent systems tested indicating that choice of solvent was not specific for any certain fatty acid. This study was able to demonstrate that CPME could be used as an alternative solvent for the extraction of oil from the wet biomass of oleaginous yeast. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 33:1096-1103, 2017.

Cyclopentyl Methyl Ether (CPME): A Versatile Eco‐Friendly Solvent for Applications in Biotechnology and Biorefineries

“…[59] evaluated CPME for extracting oil or TAGs from wet cells of the oleaginous yeast Lipomyces starkeyi, to assesst he possibility of replacing hexane or chloroform in the conventional biphasic "Bligh and Dyer" (BD) method (chloroform/methanol/water). [59] evaluated CPME for extracting oil or TAGs from wet cells of the oleaginous yeast Lipomyces starkeyi, to assesst he possibility of replacing hexane or chloroform in the conventional biphasic "Bligh and Dyer" (BD) method (chloroform/methanol/water).…”

“…Similarly,P robste tal. [59] evaluated CPME for extracting oil or TAGs from wet cells of the oleaginous yeast Lipomyces starkeyi, to assesst he possibility of replacing hexane or chloroform in the conventional biphasic "Bligh and Dyer" (BD) method (chloroform/methanol/water). Am onophasic system of CPME or ab iphasic system of CPME/water (1:0.7 v/v) performed poorly (low TAGe xtraction efficiency and TAGs electivity)c ompared to other monophasic systemso fh exane and chloroform and the biphasic BD method.…”

Current Pretreatment/Cell Disruption and Extraction Methods Used to Improve Intracellular Lipid Recovery from Oleaginous Yeasts

“…In searching for a greener alternative to chloroform, cyclopentyl methyl ether (CPME) was evaluated for its capability in extracting oils or triacylglyderol from wet cells of Lipomyces starkeyi ATCC 56,304 [139]. The biphasic system of CPME:methanol:water (using a starting ratio of 1:1.7:06 and a final ratio of 1:1:08) resulted in triacylglyderol extraction efficiency that was comparable to Bligh and Dyer method (chloroform:methanol:water) with 64.6 and 66%, respectively.…”

The state of the art in plant lipidomics

“…59 Thus, there could be the potential to replace chloroform with one or some of these green solvents to efficiently extract plant lipids. For example, a biphasic system of cyclopentyl methyl ether (CPME):methanol: water was as efficient as the Bligh and Dyer method in extracting triacylglycerols from wet biomass of the oleaginous yeast Lipomyces starkeyi, 60 thus the study concluded that CPME can be used as an alternative to chloroform. 60 However, a comparative study applying the green solvents 2-methyl tetrahydrofuran (2-MeTHF) and cyclopentyl methyl ether (CPME) revealed that the Bligh and Dyer method was more effective in extracting total lipids from the microalgae Chlorella pyrenoidosa for biodiesel production.…”

“…For example, a biphasic system of cyclopentyl methyl ether (CPME):methanol: water was as efficient as the Bligh and Dyer method in extracting triacylglycerols from wet biomass of the oleaginous yeast Lipomyces starkeyi, 60 thus the study concluded that CPME can be used as an alternative to chloroform. 60 However, a comparative study applying the green solvents 2-methyl tetrahydrofuran (2-MeTHF) and cyclopentyl methyl ether (CPME) revealed that the Bligh and Dyer method was more effective in extracting total lipids from the microalgae Chlorella pyrenoidosa for biodiesel production. 61 Although the potential of green solvents such as isoamyl acetate, 62 terpenes, ionic liquids, 58 2-methyltetrahydrofuran, 63 supercritical and subcritical fluids 64,65 for lipid extraction from yeast and microalgae has been evaluated, their applicability for plant lipid extraction is yet to be demonstrated.…”