Development of new green processes for the recovery of bioactives from Phaeodactylum tricornutum.

Two novel extraction techniques, pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) and microwave-assisted solvent extraction (MAE) have been evaluated for the recovery of bioactive compounds from Phaeodactylum tricornutum. Microalga P. tricornutum is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), such as EPA, and has a high content of the carotenoid fucoxanthin, which is a valuable pigment with several biological activities.