Method of extracting carbonic acid, aliphatic acids, esters and alcohols from an aqueous medium

A method of extracting at least one compound selected from the group consisting of:

• carbonic acid, an aliphatic acid, an aliphatic acid ester, and an aliphatic alcohol from an aqueous medium, the method comprising the steps:
• (a) contacting the carbonic acid, aliphatic acid, aliphatic acid ester or aliphatic alcohol in the aqueous medium comprising living microorganisms with an extracting medium comprising at least one alkyl-phosphine oxide and a second organic component with at least 12 carbons wherein said second organic component is a linear or branched alkane, an aromatic hydrocarbon, or an alcohol, for a time sufficient to extract the carbonic acid, aliphatic acid, aliphatic acid ester or aliphatic alcohol from the aqueous medium into the extracting medium;
• and
• (b) separating the extracting medium with the extracted carbonic acid, aliphatic acid, aliphatic acid ester or aliphatic alcohol from the aqueous medium;
• wherein:
• the at least one alkyl-phosphine oxide comprises at least two different straight or branched alkyl radicals per alkyl-phosphine oxide molecule;
• the aqueous medium in step (a) comprises a living microorganism producing the carbonic acid, aliphatic acid, aliphatic acid ester or aliphatic alcohol, and the living microorganism is contacted by the extracting medium during extraction;
• the at least one alkyl-phosphine oxide accounts for at least 50 wt.-% of the total extracting medium and the amount of carbonic acid, aliphatic acid, aliphatic acid ester or aliphatic alcohol formed in the presence of the alkyl-phosphine oxide is not reduced compared to when said alkyl-phosphine oxide is absent;
• the pH of the aqueous medium during step (a) is from 5.0 to 9.0;
• and
• the microorganism is cultured at a temperature ranging from about 20° C. to about 80° C.