Influence of chaotropes on recovery of trypsin and micellar sizes during reverse micelle extraction

•Dilute chaotropes were introduced to reverse micellar extraction system.•Protein could be effectively released from reverse micelles with chaotrope.•Chaotrope could influence water content and diameter of reverse micelles.•The adjustment of micellar size can be achieved by using urea to increase and by using GuHCl to decrease.