Original Articles: 2013 Vol: 5 Issue: 7
Extraction, purification and study on antioxidant properties of fucoxanthin from brown seaweeds
Abstract
Five brown seaweeds such as Sargassum wightii, Sargassum ilicifolium, Sargassum longifolium, Padina sp. and Turbinaria sp. were selected for fucoxanthin extraction and purification. Among the various solvents used 90% acetone was found to be good for extraction of carotenoids. The crude pigments extracted were initially screened through TLC (Thin-layer chromatography) and then fucoxanthin was separated and purified using Silica column chromatography (230-400 mesh, Merck). The fucoxanthin eluted using n-hexane and acetone in the ratio of 7:3 was sensitive to light and temperature. The purified sample of fucoxanthin was later checked with free radicals for its antioxidant property.