C-phycocyanin extraction assisted by pulsed electric field from Artrosphira platensis

- Pulsed electric fields (PEF) improve extraction of C-phycocyanin from Artrosphira platensis.
- Electroporation of A. platensis by PEF depends on electric field, time and temperature.
- Purity of C-phycocyanin from electroporated A. platensis was higher than from bead beating.

This paper assesses the application of pulsed electric fields (PEF) to the fresh biomass of Artrhospira platensis in order to enhance the extraction of C-phycocyanin into aqueous media.Electroporation of A. platensis depended on both electric field strength and treatment duration. The minimum electric field intensity for detecting C-phycocyanin in the extraction medium was 15 kV/cm after the application of a treatment time 150 μs (50 pulses of 3 μs). However higher electric field strength were required when shorter treatment times were applied. Response surface methodology was used in order to investigate the influence of electric field strength (15-25 kV/cm), treatment time (60-150 μs), and temperature of application of PEF (10-40 °C) on C-phycocyanin extraction yield (PEY). The increment of the temperature PEF treatment reduced the electric field strength and the treatment time required to obtain a given PEY and, consequently decreased the total specific energy delivered by the treatment. For example, the increment of temperature from 10 °C to 40 °C permitted to reduce the electric field strength required to extract 100 mg/g dw of C-phycocyanin from 25 to 18 kV/cm, and the specific energy input from 106.7 to 67.5 kJ/Kg.Results obtained in this investigation demonstrated PEF's potential for selectively extraction C-phycocyanin from fresh A. platensis biomass. The purity of the C-phycocyanin extract obtained from the electroporated cells was higher than that obtained using other techniques based on the cell complete destruction.

157