Extraction and Determination of Astaxanthin Pigment From Haematococcus pluvialis Microalgae

Astaxanthin and β-Carotene are well-known carotenoids globally, covering more than half of the market demand for carotenoids. Haematococcus pluvialis microalgae are one of the most important sources of natural astaxanthin, consisting of up to 4% of its dry weight. The most critical challenge for this microalgae is the breakdown of the wall and the extraction of the pigment. In this study, chemical methods, including acid, acetone, and ionic solution, and physical processes such as ultrasound waves and magnetic stirrer, were used to break down the cell wall and measure total astaxanthin in H. pluvialis, respectively. Due to the rapid oxidation of the pigment, in the next step, to extract and store astaxanthin from damaged cells, use olive oil. A spectrophotometer examined astaxanthin, monoester, and diester derivatives, and their amount was determined by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results showed that using acid treatment, ultrasound waves, and extraction by acetone is the best method to measure the amount of astaxanthin in the algae. The HPLC results also showed that the amount of astaxanthin monoester (88.44%) was higher than the free forms (3.76%) and diester (7.82%) in the total content of extracted astaxanthin. In addition, the amount of total astaxanthin in the H. pluvialis was about 1.6% of the dry weight of the algae