Centrifugal partition extraction of β-carotene from Dunaliella salina for efficient and biocompatible recovery of metabolites

A biocompatible extraction method for β-carotene recovery from the microalga Dunaliella salina was studied. The centrifugal partition extraction was used for liquid–liquid mass transfer intensification during continuous extraction. Different solvents and process parameters were compared. Ethyl oleate extraction with 5% dichloromethane achieved a 65% β-carotene recovery with the least amount of cell damage as more than 65% of the cells remained viable as demonstrated by photosynthesis activity measurements.