Process optimization for the extraction of alginate, derived from sargassum fluitans

Brown algae is the class of seaweed which is widely used in industrial, food and medical sector. Sargassum is the major type of brown algae with furthermore than 300 sub species and Sargassum fluitans is one of them. The extraction of alginate from brown algae: Sargasssum fluitans was studied at boiling temperature from 90 to 120 oC, alkaline concentration from 4 to 10 w/w % and boiling time from 2 to 8 hours. The alginate is extracted from each experiment and studied the impact of boiling temperature, alkaline concentration and boiling time on yield one by one. The maximum yield of alginic acid was determined by evaluating the effect of three parameters independently. In addition, the optimum yield of alginate was investigated from the influence of three variables by using Box-Behnken experimental design. From the experiments, the maximum yield 0.272 (g/g) of alginate was obtained at 10 % alkaline concentration with extraction time of 6 hours at 120ºC. The recommended optimum parameters for commercial production of alginate from the sargassum fluitans are 110 oC, 6 w/w % of alkaline concentration with 4 hours of boiling and the optimum yield at defined optimum conditions was 0.26 (g/g). The maximum yield can be achieved at extreme conditions but that is not commercially viable.