Algal Bio-refinery Group

Both basic and applied research of this group is focused on the development of complex processing techniques algal biomass, sequential extraction followed by fractionation of individual components, which is currently a process known as bio-refineries. The process involves the three main areas:

• Key processing technology of microalgal biomass. This includes the selection of an appropriate method for algal biomass harvesting, methods of cell wall disruption and methods of dehydration.
• Extraction methods. Extraction by conventional liquid-solid extraction (LSE) or by means of CO₂ in supercritical state (SFE).
• Separation methods. Application of preparative high performance liquid chromatography (PrepHPLC) and preparative counter current chromatography (CCC).

Expertise

• Harvesting of microalgal biomass by plate and spiral centrifugation, membrane filtration and electrocoagulation.
• Biomass drying (dewatering) by using of spray drying and freeze drying (lyophilization) approaches.
• Disruption of cell wall (disintegration) by mechanical method (DynoMill) and high pressure method (GEA Niro Soavi Ariete NS 2006).
• Extraction of biomass by conventional liquid-solid extraction (LSE), liquid-liquid partitioning and CO₂ Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE).
• Pre-purification of microalgae extracts by solid phase extraction (SPE) using nonionic macroreticular resins (XAD-7 acrylic resin and XAD-16 styrene-divinylbenzene resin).
• Development, optimization and application of Counter Current Chromatography methods for isolating and purifying added-value bioproducts from microalgae.
• Development, optimization and application of preparative HPLC/DAD/MS as final purification step of high-value bioproducts from microalgae.
• Complex Research and Development (R&D) of high-value ingredients from microalgae.

Services

Our group offers the possibility to perform separation and purification of organic molecules from natural or synthetic complex matrices, and at the request of public or private companies.  Services are arranged under regulations established by the Czech Academy of Sciences.

If you are interested in these topics, please contact: Dr. Jose Cheel, Ph.D. (jcheel@alga.cz; jcheel@email.cz, +420 384 340 470).