Patent ID: 8003355

Claim:
A method of separating a polymer from a biomass containing the polymer, the method comprising: contacting the biomass with a solvent for the polymer, to provide a residual biomass and a solution that includes the polymer, and the solvent for the polymer; and applying a centrifugal force to the solution and residual biomass to separate at least some of the solution from the residual biomass; wherein: the polymer is a polyhydroxyalkanoate; and the solvent for the polymer comprising a ketone selected from the group consisting of 3-methyl-2-pentanone, 3-methyl-2-butanone, 2-pentanone, diisobutyl ketone, 2-hexanone, 3-pentanone, 2-methyl-3-heptanone, 3-heptanone, 2-octanone, 5-methyl-3-heptanone, 5-methyl-2-hexanone, heptanone, and cyclopentanone.