Process for Extracting Lipids from Microalgae

A process for extracting lipids from microalgae comprising:

• pretreating a quantity of non-homogenized microalgae with 2-propanol for 0.25 to 4 hours to liberate lipids from the microalgae to form a first mixture;
• separating the liberated lipids from the first mixture with a biphasic solvent;
• treating the separated liberated lipids with a transesterification reagent to form fatty acid methyl esters in a second mixture;
• separating the fatty acid methyl esters from the second mixture.

A process for extracting lipids from microalgae comprising:

• pretreating a quantity of non-homogenized microalgae with an effective amount of 2-propanol for a predetermined time to liberate lipids from the microalgae formed in a first mixture;
• separating the liberated lipids from the first mixture with a biphasic solvent, the biphasic solvent comprising effective amounts of n-hexane and deionized water;
• treating the separated lipids with a transesterification reagent to form fatty acid methyl esters formed in a second mixture;
• separating the fatty acid methyl esters from the second mixture.