Energy efficient electric field-assisted green extraction of yeast oil for advanced biodiesel production

Year: 2026

Authors: Galletti A.M.R., Di Fidio N., Tozzi F., Antonetti C., Caposciutti G., Bandini G., Marracci M., Tellini B.

Autors Affiliation: Univ Pisa, Dept Chem & Ind Chem, Via G Moruzzi 13, I-56124 Pisa, Italy; Univ Pisa, Dept Energy Syst Terr & Construct Engn, Largo Lucio Lazzarino, I-56122 Pisa, Italy; Natl Res Council CNR INO, Natl Inst Opt, Via G Moruzzi 1, I-56124 Pisa, Italy; Univ Bari Aldo Moro, Dept Biosci Biotechnol & Environm, Via E Orabona 4, I-70125 Bari, Italy.

Abstract: Single Cell Oil (SCO) is a new generation oil for industrial applications aiming at replacing edible oils as feedstock for biofuels and chemicals. One of the main bottlenecks for the scale-up of SCO production is related to the cost and environmental impact of traditional methods for extracting SCO from yeast cells. This study developed a laboratory-scale apparatus for the pretreatment of Lipomyces starkeyi cells to improve lipids extraction. The process adopts a low power and low voltage electric field treatment device for permeabilising the cell’s membrane before the lipids recovery by solvent extraction using the bio-based 2-methytetrahydrofuran. Under the optimised process conditions (10 V/cm, 2 min), the recovered SCO cell content (30.0 wt%) was equal to that achieved with the standard acid-catalysed protocol. The extracted SCO was characterised by infrared spectroscopy and used to produce advanced biodiesel with a yield of 84 wt%. The FAMEs profile and the physicochemical properties of this new generation biofuel were determined and compared to standard biodiesel (EN 14214 and ASTM D6751). With a particular focus on the production of next-generation biodiesel, this novel process has significant potential to replace conventional cell treatments, offering improved efficiency and sustainability.

Journal/Review: RENEWABLE ENERGY

Volume: 263      Pages from: 125548-1  to: 125548-13

More Information: Nicola Di Fidio acknowledges the support of the RTD-A contract (no. 1112/2021, Prot. no. 0165823/2021) co-funded by the University of Pisa with respect to the PON Ricerca e Innovazione 2014-2020 (PON R & I FSE-REACT EU), Azione IV.6 Contratti di ricerca su tematiche Green. The authors thank the PRIN 2022-Project ReFil Renewable liquid Fuel of new generation from wastewater sludge: a step towards circular economy funded by the European Union-Next Generation EU, Mission 4 Component 1 (code 2022KA5WL8, CUP I53D23001790006) .
KeyWords: Single cell oil; Electric field-assisted green extraction; Electro-permeabilisation; Biodiesel; Lipomyces starkeyi
DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2026.125548