Deep Eutectic Solvents based green approach for bioactive molecules recovery from Spirulina.

Area of Science:

• Phycology
• Green Chemistry
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Spirulina microalgae possess valuable nutritional compounds like phenolic compounds and phycocyanin (PC).
• Traditional extraction methods for these compounds often use organic solvents or aqueous buffers, resulting in low stability and purity.
• Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs), particularly Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents (NADES), offer a greener alternative for bioactive molecule extraction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To optimize a green extraction procedure using NADES for Spirulina.
• To obtain a Spirulina extract rich in phenolic compounds and PC.
• To enhance the stability and purity of extracted PC.

Main Methods:

• Optimization of a Natural Deep Eutectic Solvent (NADES) extraction procedure for Spirulina.
• Utilized a betaine-glucose NADES with a 1:20 matrix-to-solvent ratio at 50 °C for one hour.
• Analyzed phenolic compounds using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS).

Main Results:

• The optimized NADES extraction efficiently recovered phenolic compounds (11.77 ± 1.23 mg GAE/g) and phycocyanin (PC) (27.56 ± 2.46 g/g).
• Phycocyanin (PC) extracted using NADES exhibited enhanced stability compared to aqueous extracts.
• The phenolic compound profile of the NADES extract was successfully characterized.

Conclusions:

• NADES represent a sustainable and effective solvent system for extracting bioactive compounds from Spirulina.
• The optimized NADES method provides a superior alternative for obtaining high-purity and stable Spirulina extracts.
• This approach holds potential for the valorization of Spirulina biomass in various industries.