Optimization of Extraction Method and Characterization of Phycocyanin Pigment from Spirulina platensis

Elin Julianti (School of Pharmacy, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jalan Ganesha 10, Bandung 40132)
Susanti Susanti (School of Pharmacy, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jalan Ganesha 10, Bandung 40132)
Marlia Singgih (School of Pharmacy, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jalan Ganesha 10, Bandung 40132)
Laida Neti Mulyani (Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Mathematics and Sciences, Sriwijaya University, Jl. Palembang-Indralaya KM 32, Ogan Ilir, South Sumatra)

Journal of Mathematical and Fundamental Sciences
Vol. 51 No. 2 (2019)

Spirulina platensis is a microalgae species that contains phycocyanin, a blue pigment that is widely used in the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. The objective of this study was to isolate phycocyanin from dried biomass of Spirulina platensis. The optimum extraction was through freeze-thawing extraction with 0.01 M phosphate buffer pH 7. Purification was done using 50% ammonium sulphate precipitation, dialysis, and gel filtration chromatography. The purity ratio of the purified product was 1.729 (A615/A280). Characterization of isolate, carried out using SDS-PAGE, gave molecular weights of around 15-16 Kda and using infrared spectrophotometry the similarity with the standard phycocyanin spectrum was obtained. Both methods confirmed that the isolate was phycocyanin.