Effect of ultrasonication-assisted extraction time on the profile of phycocyanin from wet biomass Spirulina plantesis

Abstract

Phycocyanin is a phycobiliprotein compound obtained from Spirulina platensis that can be used as a natural color, functional food, or as a cosmeceutical ingredient. The ultrasonication-assisted extraction (UAE) method can be an alternative to obtain phycocyanin from S. plantesis wet biomass. We were aimed to determine the effect of ultrasonication time on profile crude extract phycocyanin from wet biomass S. platensis, and to compare the profile crude extract phycocyanin produced from UEA and freeze-thawing methods. Phycocyanin was extracted from wet biomass S. plantesis using the UEA method with different times: 1) the extraction was carried out for 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 minutes of ultrasonication, and 2) the extraction was carried out for 10, 15, and 20 minutes of ultrasonication. The result showed that UAE for 10 minutes has the highest concentration, yield, and purity index of phycocyanin, namely 1065.54±182.76 g/mL, 10.65±1.82%, 1.12±0.04. This result also was higher than the crude extract of phycocyanin obtained from the freeze-thawing method. Thus, the ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) method can effectively produce phycocyanin from Spirulina plantesis wet biomass.