Microalgae-based unsaponifiable matter as source of natural antioxidants and metal chelators to enhance the value of wet Tetraselmis chuii biomass

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2016-12

Authors

F. Xavier Malcata (Author) FEUP; Katkam N. Gangadhar (Author) Other; Hugo Pereira (Author) Other; Maria João Rodrigues (Author) Other; Luísa Custódio (Author) Other; Luísa Barreira (Author) Other; João Varela (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Open Chemistry

Vol. 14 No. 1

Pages: 299-307

ISSN: 2391-5420

Publisher: Walter De Gruyter

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge

ISI Web of Science

Scientific classification

CORDIS: Technological sciences

FOS: Engineering and technology

Associated Projects

LEPABE - Laboratório de Engenharia de Processos, Ambiente, Biotecnologia e Energia

Other information

DOI: 10.1515/chem-2016-0029

Abstract (EN): The present work aimed to determine the antioxidant, metal chelating and neuroprotective potential of the unsaponifiable matter (UM) of Tetraselmis chuii to be applied to a biorefinery setting. The UM obtained via saponification from crude lipids extracted from microalgal wet biomass showed a radical scavenging activity (RSA) towards the DPPH radical of 90.7±1.3% and 57.1±1.2% at a concentration of 10 and 5 mg/mL, respectively. The UM fraction also displayed metal chelating capacity at a concentration of 5 mg/mL: 58.5±1.4% and 50.9±4.0% for copper and iron, respectively. The chemical characterization of the UM revealed significant levels of total phenolics (TPC, 13.61 mg GAE/g) and carotenoids (2.45 mg/g of ß-carotene, lutein and violaxanthin). Overall, the separation of the UM containing high value metabolites might significantly upgrade the total wet biomass value in a biorefinery, allowing the exploitation of a stream with relevant antioxidant and metal chelating activities.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 9