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Sustainable Recovery of Phlorotannins from Durvillaea incurvata: Integrated Extraction and Purification with Advanced Characterization

  • Pamela Raquel Rivera-Tovare(Author)
    ,
  • Gabriela Contreras-Contrerase(Author)
    ,
  • Paulina Isabel Rivas-Reyesg(Author)
    ,
  • Jara Pérez-Jiménezi, j(Author)
    ,
  • Maximiliano Martínez-Cifuentesf(Author)
    ,
  • José Ricardo Pérez-Correah(Author)
Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Open access

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Original language

English

Article number

250

Journal (Volume, Issue Number)

Antioxidants (Volume 14, Issue 3)

Publication milestones

  • Published - 01/03/2025

Publication status

Published - 01/03/2025

External Publication IDs

  • Scopus: 105001372013

Abstract

The rising demand for bioactive compounds from marine resources highlights the need for sustainable separation technologies. This study introduces an integrated process combining ultrasound-assisted extraction (USAE) and resin purification (RP) to isolate phlorotannins from Durvillaea incurvata, a brown seaweed with significant biomedical potential. Using a 32.5% ethanol–water solvent system for USAE followed by RP on Diaion HP-20 resin, phlorotannins were enriched 2.4-fold, with simultaneous removal of interfering compounds such as mannitol (~100%), which was demonstrated by FTIR and HPLC-IR analysis. Advanced characterization using UHPLC-QToF-MS/MS identified five novel phlorotannins with polymerization degrees of 3 to 8 phloroglucinol units in both USAE extracts and post-RP. Mass balance based on spectrophotometric measurements indicated a purification factor of ~2, confirming process effectiveness. RP streams showed distinct phlorotannin profiles, with one phlorotannin exceeding 70% relative abundance. However, MS/MS results showed significantly lower recoveries than spectrophotometric data, revealing a novel insight into RP purification. These findings highlight the critical role of comprehensive chemical characterization in optimizing sustainable phlorotannin extraction from seaweed. They propose a framework for scalable, eco-efficient technologies for achieving high-purity phlorotannin recovery. This approach facilitates the development of phlorotannin-based applications in the nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries.