Selection of appropriate solvent for prodigiosin extraction

Seyedeh maryam Mousavi,1,* Bita archangi,2 Hossein zolgharnein,3 Isaac zamani,4

1. khoramshahr university of marine science and technology
2. khoramshahr university of marine science and technology
3. khoramshahr university of marine science and technology
4. khoramshahr university of marine science and technology

Abstract


Introduction

Prodigiosin is a microbial pigment that produced by various species, including serratia marcescens and has antibacterial properties. chemical pigments that are used in food industries cause negative effects in human health and we can prevent these effects by replacing them with natural pigments. prodigiosin in addition to being safe, has antibiotic properties against many pathogenic strains that make it suitable for use in the food industries.

Methods

Serratia marcescens were isolated from the sediments of aquaculture ponds. in order to extract prodigiosin, seven solvents including water, ethanol, methanol, chloroform, acetone, acetic acid and n-hexane were used and the amount of pigment in each sample was calculated. after purifying the pigment using column chromatography, its antibacterial effect was also studied.

Results

Water, n-hexane and acetic acid were not able to extract prodigiosin because of their polarity less than other solvents. methanol with 185, ethanol with 161.92, chloroform with 123.46 and acetone with 100.38 units per cell had good efficiencies in prodigiosin extraction. antibacterial effect of prodigiosin showed that this pigment could inhibit the growth of e. coli, bacillus subtilis, staphylococcus aureus and pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Conclusion

Prodigiosin can be extracted with methanol and used as a natural and antibacterial pigment instead of chemical pigments in the food industries.

Keywords

Prodigiosin, solvent, antibacterial effect, natural pigment