The Contents of Major Pigments and Solvent Effectiveness of Edible Seaweed Species Available in Sri Lanka

Abstract

The correct type of solvent in the extraction method is specific in the natural materials. It is important to have quality of pigments, and therefore, optimum quality beneficial to the society can be produced. The five varieties of seaweeds were collected from North east and South west coastal belt of Sri Lanka. The dried and ground seaweed species were extracted using different solvents. The solvents used for extraction of pigments were ethanol, methanol, acetone and diethyl ether and seaweed color levels brown (Sargussum wighitti), green and red. Research results indicated that each solvent reach a peak of maximum value 27.8 - 40.98 pg/g namely Chlorophyll a and b in green and brown algae. The Carotenoids were also given maximum value 2486 pg/g in red algae species. The usage of methanol and acetone solvent gave the best results pigment quality. The highest DPPH free radical scavenging activities of digests were maximum 6.5 pM at Sargussum species in Methanol extraction.