β-Carotene extraction from Dunaliella salina by supercritical CO2

Abstract This paper reports the results of supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO 2 ) extraction β-carotene from Dunaliella salina as potential alternative to conventional organic solvent extraction. In pilot-scale scCO experiments, pressure, temperature, and co-solvent concentration were varied. The at 500 bar, 70 °C, 10 wt% ethanol yielded in highly efficient pigment recovery over 90%. Techno-economic assessment demonstrated higher energy consumption for that was compensated by lower costs. Thus, comparable production costs reference with n-hexane estimated process. Due green properties ethanol, this approach is promising algal biomass industrial scale.