No lutein extraction plant currently uses a microalgal biomass. A study by Ceron et al. (2008) described lutein extraction and purification from 100–500 g dry biomass using 6-step hexane extraction process. After wall disruption, the biomass was treated with 4% w/w KOH at 40 C for 10 min to increase removal efficiency for chlorophyll by water. To compare this process to the marigold flow process, after optimization one can have a 3-step diethyl ether extraction process to reach 90% recovery of lutein from microalgae(Fig. 3). Restated, after ether extraction (3 1 L), the combined ether layer (upper) is concentrated under reduced pressure and the crude extract is obtained for further processing. The materials used to treat 1 kg of lutein from microalgae powder (5 g/kg lutein content with 90% recovery) include 6667 L ethyl ether, 89 kg KOH, 2222 L water, 133 L acetone, and 222 L olive oil with an energy consumption of roughly 2200 MJ.