Acetone Oil Extraction

[skorn]

Im currently working on a research project about algae growth and I need to extract algae oil from the algae in order to calculate the percentage of oil in a certain species of algae. The chemical extraction methods on this site seems the most promising for my small scale experiments, especially the hexane extraction methods. From my research hexane is a nonpolar solvent which would explain it being good for oil extraction. I was wondering if Acetone would yield comparable results since it is a solvent, but it has a net dipole. Would this dipole make it suitable for extracting the nonpolar oil or should I stay away from acetone?

[Algae Maffiosi]

Stay far away! no point in using a dipole for extraction of nonpolar compounds.

[DR Johansen]

Stay far away! no point in using a dipole for extraction of nonpolar compounds.

Greetings AM,
For everyones edification (ok, mainly mine, but this way I can hide my ignorance!), are ALL lipids non-polar?
If not, would it make sense to do a mixed solvent for both types?

Thanks for your input!

[Algae Maffiosi]

No not all lipids are neutral. Lipids that act in the membrane of cells are polar ( like soap) the reason why the oil precurser is neutral is because they are long carbon chains. But besides lipids there is alot of other compounds inside cells that are either polar or nonpolar. If you want to do an extraction with a mixture of different solvents you will extract polar and nonpolar compounds. Besides this the other reason you wouldnt want to do this is because you dont get a perfect 2 phase system (depending on the solvents used) due to solubility of the solvents in water and/or with each other.

Hope this helps

[DR Johansen]

Ok, don't mix!
Would sequential use make sense? Go for the non-polar first and then scavange the polar?