Short communicationPolyethylene glycol-based ultrasound-assisted extraction and ultrafiltration separation of polysaccharides from Tremella fuciformis (snow fungus)

- Polyethylene glycol-based ultrasound-assisted extraction of polysaccharides from Tremella fuciformis.
- Ultrafiltration separation of polysaccharides of Tremella fuciformis and PEG400.
- High recovery and purity of polysaccharides of Tremella fuciformis.
- High recovery of PEG400.

The polysaccharides of Tremella fuciformis were extracted using an aqueous solution of polyethylene glycol and then separated by ultrafiltration. To obtain the optimal extraction conditions, the effects of different experimental factors on the extraction yield of polysaccharides of T. fuciformis were studied. The experimental results revealed that the optimal polyethylene glycol-based ultrasound-assisted extraction gave a higher extraction yield than that of the common hot water extraction. Using ultrafiltration, the polysaccharides and polyethylene glycol were separated into retentate and permeate solutions, respectively. The recovery and purity of polysaccharides were higher than those of ethanol precipitation. Furthermore, most of polyethylene glycol could be recycled. Therefore, the proposed sample preparation methods were effective in the extraction and separation of polysaccharides, and the recovery of polyethylene glycol.