Wet extraction of hydrocarbons from Botryococcus braunii by dimethyl ether as compared with dry extraction by hexane

We propose the use of liquid dimethyl ether (DME) as a solvent for extracting hydrocarbons and lipids from Botryococcus braunii Race B paste. The extraction yields and main elements of the extracts obtained from the B. braunii by our technique is nearly the same as by hexane Soxhlet extraction on dried mass. A qualitative analysis by silica gel thin layer chromatography suggested that DME also effectively extracted the specific hydrocarbons, botryococcenes from the wet B. braunii cells. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry of DME extracts indicated the presence of a large amount of C32-C34 botryococcenes-the main components of B. braunii Race B. In contrast, hexane extracted not only C32-C34, but also small amounts of C30 and C31 botryococcenes-the minor components. The result shows that extraction differences between DME and hexane are not important. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.