Alternative replacements for dwindling fossil fuel reserves present a vast landscape of opportunity for optimization. Biofuels produced from microorganisms such as algae and bacteria is one potential route to alternative fuels, however many challenges exist in achieving nonlethal extraction and isolation of the fuels from the aqueous media. As bacteria produce and excrete their hydrocarbon biofuels, they often die from accumulating hydrocarbons on the cell membrane exceeding toxic levels. Ionic liquids (ILs) are promising materials as biphasic extractants to remove accumulating biofuels without harming the bacteria, allowing for continuous extraction methods. Following extraction, the hydrocarbons can be separated from the IL, allowing recycling of the ILs for further extractions. We have synthesized a number of ionic liquids containing non-polar groups to maximize extraction of hydrocarbons, while incorporating designs that minimize toxicity to bacteria and algae. The extraction solutions can also be separated to recover both the commodity fuel and purified IL material. The successful utilization of ionic liquids that have hydrocarbon-extracting capacity and non-toxic cellular activity would introduce a new, cost effective method to yield transportation fuels.

Ionic liquids as green extractants of biofuels from microorganisms

251st National Meeting (2016)

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