Method for non-thermal extraction of phytochemicals from macroalgae

Abstract

A method for improving a cell biomass includes de-ashing the cell biomass by applying pulsed electric field (PEF)- or constant electric field (CEF)-treatment to the cell biomass in a solvent, optionally under pressure higher than the ambient pressure, to thereby extract an ash fraction from the cell biomass into the solvent.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for improving a cell biomass, said method comprising de-ashing said cell biomass by applying pulsed electric field (PEF)- or constant electric field (CEF)-treatment to said cell biomass in a solvent, optionally under pressure higher than the ambient pressure, to thereby extract an ash fraction from said cell biomass into said solvent. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said cell biomass is an aquatic plant tissue biomass. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said aquatic plant tissue biomass is macroalgae biomass. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 (i) said PEF or CEF treatment is non-thermal PEF or CEF treatment; or   (ii) said PEF or CEF treatment is homogeneously distributed in said solvent; or   (iii) said PEF or CEF treatment electroporates the cells of said biomass, optionally causing both opening of the membrane of said cells and configuration changes in the extracellular matrix of said cell biomass, thus causing de-ashing of said cell biomass; or   (iv) said pressure is from about 1 to about 10 atmospheres; or   (v) said pressure is constant during said PEF or CEF treatment, or said pressure varies during said PEF or CEF treatment; or   (vi) said solvent is an inorganic solvent such as fresh water, tap water, saline or salt water; or an organic solvent such as acetic acid, acetone, acetonitrile, methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, butanol, t-butyl alcohol, hexane, cyclohexane, chlorobenzene, chloroform, 1,2-dichloroethane, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, diethyl ether, ethyl acetate, methylene chloride, benzene, or a combination thereof; or   (vii) the temperature developed in the solvent during said PEF or CEF treatment is in a range of 25° C.-90° C.; or   (viii) said cell biomass is dried, semidried or wet macroalgae.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the temperature of the solvent during said PEF or CEF treatment is maintained in the range of 25-60° C. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said method comprises applying PEF treatment. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said PEF treatment is characterized by at least one of: (i) pulse number of from 1 to about 10,000; (ii) pulse duration of from about 50 ns to about 10 ms; (iii) electric field strength of from about 0.1 to about 100 kV/cm; and (iv) pulse frequency of from 0.1 to about 10000 Hz. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said PEF treatment is characterized by: (i) pulse number of from 1 to about 10,000; (ii) pulse duration of from about 50 ns to about 10 ms; (iii) electric field strength of from about 0.1 to about 100 kV/cm; and (iv) pulse frequency of from 0.1 to about 10000 Hz. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said PEF treatment is characterized by: (i) pulse number of from 1 to about 500; (ii) pulse duration of from about 500 ns to about 1 ms; (iii) electric field strength of from about 0.1 to about 10 kV/cm; and (iv) pulse frequency of from 0.1 to about 10 Hz. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said ash fraction comprises a chemical element. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said chemical element is phosphorus or a metal. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said metal is a valuable metal, a transition metal, or a heavy metal. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a step of separating said ash fraction from said solvent. 
     
     
         14 . A method for extraction of a chemical element from a cell biomass, said method comprising applying pulsed electric field (PEF)- or constant electric field (CEF)-treatment to said cell biomass in a solvent, optionally under pressure higher than the ambient pressure, thereby extracting said chemical element from said cell biomass into said solvent. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said cell biomass is an aquatic plant tissue biomass. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said aquatic plant tissue biomass is macroalgae biomass. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein
 (i) said PEF or CEF treatment is non-thermal PEF or CEF treatment; or   (ii) said PEF or CEF treatment is homogeneously distributed in said solvent; or   (iii) said PEF or CEF treatment electroporates the cells of said biomass, optionally causing both opening of the membrane of said cells and configuration changes in the extracellular matrix of said cell biomass, thus causing de-ashing of said cell biomass; or   (iv) said pressure is from about 1 to about 10 atmospheres; or   (v) said pressure is constant during said PEF or CEF treatment, or said pressure varies during said PEF or CEF treatment; or   (vi) said solvent is an inorganic solvent such as fresh water, tap water, saline or salt water; or an organic solvent such as acetic acid, acetone, acetonitrile, methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, butanol, t-butyl alcohol, hexane, cyclohexane, chlorobenzene, chloroform, 1,2-dichloroethane, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, diethyl ether, ethyl acetate, methylene chloride, benzene, or a combination thereof; or   (vii) the temperature developed in the solvent during said PEF or CEF treatment is in a range of 25° C.-90° C.; or   (viii) said cell biomass is dried, semidried or wet macroalgae.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the temperature of the solvent during said PEF or CEF treatment is maintained in the range of 25-60° C. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said method comprises applying PEF treatment. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said PEF treatment is characterized by at least one of: (i) pulse number of from 1 to about 10,000; (ii) pulse duration of from about 50 ns to about 10 ms; (iii) electric field strength of from about 0.1 to about 100 kV/cm; and (iv) pulse frequency of from 0.1 to about 10000 Hz. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said PEF treatment is characterized by: (i) pulse number of from 1 to about 10,000; (ii) pulse duration of from about 50 ns to about 10 ms; (iii) electric field strength of from about 0.1 to about 100 kV/cm; and (iv) pulse frequency of from 0.1 to about 10000 Hz. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said PEF treatment is characterized by: (i) pulse number of from 1 to about 500; (ii) pulse duration of from about 500 ns to about 1 ms; (iii) electric field strength of from about 0.1 to about 10 kV/cm; and (iv) pulse frequency of from 0.1 to about 10 Hz. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said ash fraction comprises a chemical element. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said chemical element is phosphorus or a metal. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein said metal is a valuable metal, a transition metal, or a heavy metal. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising a step of separating said chemical element from said solvent.