Abstract:
Cyanobacteria, also called Cyanophyceae, are the oldest organisms on earth. The genus
Arthrospira contains filamentous cyanobacteria, of which Arthrospira platensis, better known
as Spirulina, is part.
After a physicochemical characterization of Spirulina, quantitative and qualitative analyses
of its different pigments took place to evaluate their concentrations by different extraction
methods and to identify them by separation on layers impregnated with kerosene oil. These
revealed :
-2.1mg/ml of carotenoids in 5g of spirulina powder whose components are β carotene,
vaucheraxanthin (xanthophylls), ε carotene, α carotene, and ϒ carotene.
-The components of chlorophyll are chlorophyll b, chlorophyll a.
-0.091mg/ml of phycocyanin extracted by aqueous double phase separation and purity of
0.441 for water extracted phycocyanin.
The evaluation of the microbial quality of the spirulina powder led us to count :
-500 000 CFU/g of total aerobic mesophilic flora.
-40 000 CFU/g of fungal flora.
-0 CFU/g of total coliforms.
Due to its richness in nutrients, Spirulina is now known to have therapeutic virtues
including antioxidant and antibacterial activities. Our results were not successful due to the
low level of antioxidant components contained in the spirulina under study.
Due to its therapeutic activities, spirulina is highly recommended in various pharmaceutical
and food industries.
Key words : Spirulina, Arthrospira platensis, carotenoids, chlorophyll, phycocyanin,
extraction, purity, identification, therapeutic activities.
Cyanobacteria, also called Cyanophyceae, are the oldest organisms on earth. The genus
Arthrospira contains filamentous cyanobacteria, of which Arthrospira platensis, better known
as Spirulina, is part.
After a physicochemical characterization of Spirulina, quantitative and qualitative analyses
of its different pigments took place to evaluate their concentrations by different extraction
methods and to identify them by separation on layers impregnated with kerosene oil. These
revealed :
-2.1mg/ml of carotenoids in 5g of spirulina powder whose components are β carotene,
vaucheraxanthin (xanthophylls), ε carotene, α carotene, and ϒ carotene.
-The components of chlorophyll are chlorophyll b, chlorophyll a.
-0.091mg/ml of phycocyanin extracted by aqueous double phase separation and purity of
0.441 for water extracted phycocyanin.
The evaluation of the microbial quality of the spirulina powder led us to count :
-500 000 CFU/g of total aerobic mesophilic flora.
-40 000 CFU/g of fungal flora.
-0 CFU/g of total coliforms.
Due to its richness in nutrients, Spirulina is now known to have therapeutic virtues
including antioxidant and antibacterial activities. Our results were not successful due to the
low level of antioxidant components contained in the spirulina under study.
Due to its therapeutic activities, spirulina is highly recommended in various pharmaceutical
and food industries.
Key words : Spirulina, Arthrospira platensis, carotenoids, chlorophyll, phycocyanin,
extraction, purity, identification, therapeutic activities.