Selection of an optimal organic solvent for the extraction of prodigiosin

Abstract

To develop prodigiosin as biological control agent against Chattonella antiqua, a harmful alga that can cause red tides, selection of an organic solvent for prodigiosin extraction from culture broth was performed. Prodigiosin was extracted using nine solvents (hexane, toluene, chloroform, ethyl acetate, ethanol, methanol, acetone, acetonitrile, and seawater), and extracts were analyzed by LC-MS, As a result, acetone was regarded as an optimal organic solvent for the extraction of prodigiosin from culture broth. The amount of prodigiosin extracted with acetone was almost the same as that extracted with ethanol. Moreover, the processing time could be reduced by using acetone because it has a lower boiling point than ethanol. Considering these results, we think that acetone was a very useful extraction agent for the extraction of prodigiosin as a biological control agent. [PE10050 and PN07020]