TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - BIOTECHNOLOGY - Preferred Process: In reducing ash content from biomass feedstock or biomass fraction of aquatic species, providing step comprises producing the biomass fraction of an aquatic species on an industrial scale; and harvesting the biomass. The lysed biomass comprises a protein fraction, a carbohydrate fraction, a lipid-depleted carbohydrate fraction, a substantially lipid-free carbohydrate fraction, or a lipid fraction derived from the biomass feedstock. Aquatic species comprises at least one species of Lemna. The catalyst comprises at least one acid, where the acid comprises at least one of hydrogen bromide (HBr), hydrochloric acid (HCl), hydrogen cyanide (HCN), hydrogen fluoride (HF), and hydrogen sulfide (H2S). The acid comprises an organic acid comprising at least one of formic acid, acetic acid, oxalic acid, and glycolic acid. It is nitric acid. The alcohol comprises at least one of methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol, hexanol, heptanol, octanol, nonanol, and decanol. Separating step comprises pressing the lysed biomass to generate a juice; or separating step comprises centrifugation of the mixture. Recovering step comprises phase separation and fractional distillation. The process further comprises mixing a material selected comprising at least one of the solid phase and the juice, with an alcohol and a catalyst to form a mixture; further separating the mixture into a liquid fraction and a solid fraction; where lipids and ash-forming components in the material are segregated into the liquid. The solid phase comprises at least one of a first solid phase generated from lysing the biomass and pressing the lysed biomass to yield a juice and first solid phase; a second solid phase generated from filtering the juice to yield a filtered juice and a second solid phase; and a third solid phase generated from clarifying the filtered juice to yield a clarified juice and third solid phase. The further separating step comprises subjecting the mixture to centrifugation; collecting the solid fraction; and recovering reagents by distillating the liquid fraction. Centrifugation is performed at about 3500 revolutions per minute (rpm). Centrifugation is performed for duration of about 15 minutes. The process further comprises a removing step to reduce ash-forming components of the biomass prior to the separating step of the process, where the removing step comprises adding the mixture to a decanting apparatus; spinning the mixture at high speed in the decanting apparatus; generating a solid mass retained within the decanting apparatus that is substantially freed of lipids and ash-forming components; collecting a separated liquid that is forced through holes of the decanting apparatus and contains lipids and ash-forming components, and further processing the separated liquid to remove ash-forming components. It also comprises a removing step to reduce ash-forming components from the juice generated from the pressing step of the process, where the removing step comprises adding the mixture to a decanting apparatus; spinning the mixture at high speed in the decanting apparatus; generating a solid mass retained within the decanting apparatus that is substantially freed of lipids and ash-forming components; collecting a separated liquid that is forced through holes of the decanting apparatus and contains lipids and ash-forming components, and further processing the separated liquid to remove ash-forming components. The mixture is generated at elevated temperature or pressure, where the elevated temperature is about 70, 80, or 90 degrees C, and where the elevated pressure is about 10 or 15 gauge pounds per square inch (psig). It is generated at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. The process further comprises adding a protease enzyme to the solid fraction or solids. Recovering step comprises subjecting the liquid fraction to a filter press; adding water to the lysed biomass; sonicating the lysed biomass; and adding carbohydrate enzymes to the lysed biomass individually or in combination. The process also comprises subjecting the liquid phase or the solid phase to chromatography and solubilizing protein. Treating step comprises a transesterification process. The process further comprises a leaching step, comprising suspending the biocrude in a solution selected from the group consisting of water and dilute acid for at least 20 hours to generate a mixture; subjecting the mixture to a filtering system; washing the mixture by adding water to the mixture and removing water or dilute acid; and drying the mixture to generate a biocrude with reduced ash content. Preferred System: The system further comprises a first belt filter to facilitate separating a mother liquor and salts from the reaction among the biomass feedstock, the alcohol, and the catalyst; a second belt filter to facilitate addition of wash water and removal of water and dilute acid; a third belt filter to facilitate addition of wash water and removal of water and dilute acid; a fourth belt filter to facilitate addition of wash water and ammonia and removal of the filtrate; a fifth belt filter to facilitate addition of wash water and further removal of filtrate to generate a product; and a dryer to further process the product. EXAMPLE - No suitable example given.