Production of lutein from various microalgae species using different cultivation methods: Structural characterization and assessment of functional integrity
摘要
Lutein has gained global attention in recent decades in the nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic industries due to its strong antioxidant and anticancer properties. Microalgae are a promising source of lutein, with contents reaching up to 1.7% of dry biomass. The present study evaluated the impact of heterotrophic, phototrophic, and mixotrophic cultivation modes on biomass production and lutein yield of three promising microalgal species: Tetraselmis indica BDUG001, Chlorella vulgaris BDGUG003, and Picochlorum sp. BDUG100241. Under mixotrophic conditions, T. indica, C. vulgaris and Picochlorum sp. achieved biomass production of 1.85 ± 0.07, 1.86 ± 0.07, and 1.94 ± 0.03 g L−1, and lutein yields of 2.41 ± 0.00, 2.39 ± 0.01, and 1.64 ± 0.01 mg L−1, respectively, with supplementation of 7.5 g L−1 sodium acetate for T. indica and Picochlorum sp, and 1 g L−1 glucose for C. vulgaris. Microalgal lutein was further purified, and its antioxidant activity was assessed using DPPH, ABTS, and OH● radical scavenging assays. Lutein extracted from T. indica, C. vulgaris and Picochlorum sp. exhibited DPPH radical scavenging activities of 84.69 ± 0.24, 83.46 ± 0.99, and 83.64 ± 4.19%, and ABTS radical scavenging activities of 85.45 ± 0.82, 84.36 ± 0.28, and 85.12 ± 1.15%, respectively. Furthermore, the characterization of lutein was carried out using FTIR, LC-HRMS, and 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy to confirm its structural integrity.