title: A potential commercial source of fucoxanthin extracted from the microalga Phaeodactylum tricornutum.
abstract: Fucoxanthin, one of the main marine carotenoids, is abundant in macro- and microalgae. Here, fucoxanthin was isolated and structurally identified as the major carotenoid in the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum through chromatographic and spectroscopic methods, such as liquid chromatography-positive-ion atmospheric pressure chemical ionization/mass spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance. This pigment was quantified by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, and a number of extraction procedures were assessed to investigate the effect of solvent type, extraction time, temperature, and extraction method (maceration, ultrasound-assisted extraction, Soxhlet extraction, and pressurized liquid extraction). Among the investigated solvents, ethanol provided the best fucoxanthin extraction yield (15.71 mg/g freeze-dried sample weight). Fucoxanthin content in the extracts produced by the different methods was quite constant (15.42-16.51 mg/g freeze-dried sample weight) but increased steeply based on the percentage of ethanol in water, emphasizing the importance of ethanol in the extraction. The results indicate that P. tricornutum is a rich source of fucoxanthin (at least ten times more abundant than that in macroalgae) that is easily extracted with ethanol, suggesting potential applications in human and animal food, health, and cosmetics.
authors.affiliation: Functional Food Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology-KIST, 679 Saimdang-ro, Gangneung 210-340, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yu-Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Oh-Nam
authors.initials: ON
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Kwang Hyun
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.forename: Byung-Hun
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Um
authors.forename: Donghwa
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Cheol-Ho
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Pan
mesh_terms: D002338:Carotenoids / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D056148:Chromatography, Reverse-Phase; D017377:Diatoms / Q000737:chemistry*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D059625:Liquid-Liquid Extraction; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D058086:Microalgae / Q000737:chemistry*; D011312:Pressure; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry; D013010:Sonication; D013696:Temperature; D024341:Xanthophylls / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D012997:Solvents; D024341:Xanthophylls; C025164:fucoxanthin; D002338:Carotenoids; D000431:Ethanol