Extraction, purification and antioxidant activity of phycobiliprotein from Arthrospira platensis

Phycobiliproteins are essential bioactive substances from Arthrospira platensis which have useful biological applications as food additives. Extraction processes of phycobiliproteins and C-phycocyanin purification play significant roles in determining the quality of C-phycocyanin. Oven-dried biomass preparation and concentration by physical-assisted methods were compared to evaluate C-phycocyanin extraction. Although freeze drying was determined as the most suitable drying process, convective drying showed easy disruption and released bioactive compounds as phycobiliproteins. The most suitable processing conditions for extraction and purification of C-PC are oven-dried biomass preparation (at 70 °C for 4 h) and extraction (at 25 °C for 24 h) by 0.01 M phosphate buffer using homogenisation assisted method at 0.02 g/mL biomass concentration followed by purification using activated charcoal (70–80 g/L for 24 h). At the standardised conditions, the highest purity index of 1.2 with satisfactory yield of around 80% was achieved. Increased purity index also decreased the unfavourable smell of protein in solution.