Australian researchers develop simple, inexpensive way to extract bioactives from single-cell algae oil

In Australia, new research at Flinders University has discovered a simple, low-cost and effective way to extract high-value bioactives from single-cell algae oil—using waste sulfur from industries such as petrochemical production.

The innovative algae oil production process, described in the international journal ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, outlines the new method of using waste sulfur to produce enriched saturated triglycerides from sustainably produced algae oil. 

The process uses a single reaction to simultaneously produce valuable polymers from polyunsaturated triglycerides and enrich saturated triglycerides for various value-added applications. The sulfur reaction can draw up to 90% of the unsaturated triglycerides from cultured single-cell algae.