Abstract:

The aim of this study was to establish the optimal sample preparation conditions for the spectrophotometric
determination of total chlorophyll, chlorophyll a and carotenoids in Spirulina platensis power with respect to three extraction
parameters, extraction solvent, time and temperature. The results showed that the chlorophyll contents of Spirulina platensis
powder determined with different extraction solvents decreased in the following order: 95% ethanol-99.5% acetone
(1:1, V/V ) ＞ 95% ethanol-99.5% acetone (2:1, V/V ) ＞ 95% ethanol-99.5% acetone (1:2, V/V ) ＞ 99.5% acetone ＞ 95%
alcohol. The decreasing order was 8 h ＞ 6 h ＞ 4 h ＞ 14 h ＞ 12 h ＞ 10 h ＞ 24 h ＞ 2 h for different extraction times,
and 21 ℃ ＞ 22 ℃ ＞ 20 ℃ ＞ 15 ℃＞ 25 ℃ for different extraction temperatures. The optimal extraction conditions of
the determination of chlorophyll content in Spirulina platensis powder were found to be extraction 21 ℃ for 8 h using 95%
ethanol-99.5% acetone (1:1, V/V ) as the solvent.

Key words: Spirulina platensis, spectrophotometry, powder, chlorophyll content