摘要 |
The subject invention relates to novel methods for treating microbial biomass and uses thereof. In particular, this invention provides methods for production of lipids using ionic liquid solutions, and subsequent uses of biomass components in food, biofuels, and as chemical precursors. Further, this invention provides methods for recovering the ionic liquids using an antisolvent, thus enables subsequent reuse of the ionic liquids In addition, this invention provides practical methods for determining the lipid content of a biomass and screening potential lipid-producing microbial classes. This invention also provides a method of chemical dewatering the lipid-rich algae cells by ionic liquids with its subsequent reuse. |