Rapid screening and guided extraction of antioxidants from microalgae using voltammetric methods

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Microalgae are increasingly recognized as a sustainable source of natural antioxidants for food applications, offering an alternative to synthetic compounds.
• Traditional methods for assessing antioxidant capacity can be time-consuming and resource-intensive.
• Developing rapid and reliable analytical techniques is crucial for harnessing microalgal bioresources.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate voltammetric techniques, specifically square wave voltammetry, as a fast and effective method for determining the antioxidant power of microalgal biomass.
• To compare the results obtained from square wave voltammetry with established antioxidant assays.
• To explore the potential of voltammetry in providing detailed antioxidant profiles of microalgal extracts.

Main Methods:

• Utilized square wave voltammetry (SWV) to measure the antioxidant activity of microalgal biomass.
• Correlated SWV results with established antioxidant capacity assays: Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC), Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Potential (FRAP), and AAPH-induced oxidation of linoleic acid.
• Analyzed peak potentials from SWV to gain insights into the antioxidant composition of microalgae.

Main Results:

• Antioxidant activities determined by square wave voltammetry showed strong correlations with TEAC (R² = 0.737) and FRAP (R² = 0.729) assays.
• A moderate correlation was observed between SWV and the AAPH-induced oxidation of linoleic acid assay (R² = 0.566).
• Square wave voltammetry provided quantitative data on antioxidant activity and qualitative information on the antioxidant profile via peak potentials.

Conclusions:

• Square wave voltammetry is a viable, rapid alternative to conventional chemical assays for assessing the antioxidant power of microalgal biomass.
• The technique offers valuable insights into the antioxidant profile, enabling better characterization of microalgal resources.
• Voltammetry can serve as a powerful tool for optimizing extraction processes to maximize the recovery of valuable antioxidant compounds from microalgae for food applications.