| abstract |
The present invention relates to a process for the purification of microorganisms, in particular to the removal of solvent residues from microorganisms. The microorganism-containing material obtained by culturing micro-algaisms is treated after solvent extraction by intensive contact with pure or aqueous alcohol at 10 to 50 ° C, preferably 15 to 30 ° C, in a weight ratio of between 10: 1 and 1: 5 , which may contain, to a small extent, hydrocarbons within the boiling range of condensate from gas and gasoline, and then slowly dried at 50 to 130 ° C, preferably 80 to 120 ° C. Depending on the composition of the alcohol phase, the excess amount of alcohol phase from the microorganisms can be separated by mechanical means, for example by centrifugation or filtration, before thermal treatment. |