Work

Harnessing deep eutectic solvents for the extraction of biomolecules from plant waste: Their industrial applications, optimization, and mechanistic structure

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Deep eutectic solvents (DES) are emerging as enabling media for valorizing plant waste into high-value biomolecules, yet industrial translation requires mechanistic clarity and an integrated design logic that connects solvent selection, process intensification, and deployment constraints. This review synthesizes recent evidence on how DES composition and controlled water addition tune polarity, hydrogen bonding capacity, and microheterogeneity to disrupt lignocellulosic barriers and solubilize phenolics, flavonoids, proteins, betalains, terpenoids, and related targets. Hydrogen bonding contributions are delineated using molecular dynamics observables such as hydrogen bond populations and lifetimes, alongside spectroscopy fingerprints from infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance that track solvent structuring and polymer association. Dispersion-dominated solvation is distinguished as the governing interaction regime for aromatic and lipid-like fractions in hydrophobic eutectic systems, while viscosity-governed mass transfer is positioned as the dominant transport limitation that couple’s temperature, water activity, and diffusion. To convert these mechanistic descriptors into an actionable extraction design, contemporary predictive workflows are evaluated as a mature baseline, combining COSMO RS screening, response surface optimization, and machine learning models for nonlinear parameter spaces. A unified translation framework is proposed that links in-silico ranking to statistically efficient experimentation, mechanistic validation, recyclability, and product quality checks, and regulatory readiness through standardized reporting of composition, physicochemical properties, and safety endpoints. The resulting agenda defines measurable decision criteria for solvent formulation and intensified operations that support reproducible, scalable, and safer bioresource valorization.

Source: Next Sustainability

DOI: 10.1016/j.nxsust.2026.100363

Authors: Onome Ejeromedoghene, Ephraim Akor, Siëda Bont, Anthony Druiventak, Abiodun Oladipo

Institutions: Anton de Kom University of Suriname, Soochow University, Redeemer's University, Nanjing Forestry University

Language: English

Topic: Ionic liquids properties and applications

Subfield: Physical and Theoretical Chemistry

Field: Chemistry

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,280