Correlation between chemical characteristics and optical spectra of Spirulina commercially available on the Bulgarian market

Year 2023, Volume: 10 Issue: 2, 465 - 474, 31.05.2023

Krastena Nikolova , Tinko Eftimov , Aleksandar Pashev , Metody Karadjov , Christina Tzvetkova , Galia Gentscheva , Daniel Brabant , Fouzar Samıa

https://doi.org/10.18596/jotcsa.1207682

Cited By: 2

Abstract

The aggregate of various chemical substances useful for the functioning of the human body are known as nutrients. Spirulina has been present in human nutrition since ancient times, but in recent years the interest in it has been particularly increased due to the emergence of numerous alternative methods of nutrition. This study aimed to compare the functional and elemental composition as well as the optical properties of commercial Spirulina products available on the Bulgarian market. For this purpose, fluorescence spectroscopy in the ultraviolet and visible range, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy were used. The basic components of the analyzed Spirulina samples are proteins (1657 and 1537 cm-1) and carbohydrates (1069 and 1054 cm-1) and no meaningful differences between the IR spectra of the samples. Concentrations of important microelements Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Mn varies with the manufacturer. The highest levels for Mg (6.69 g kg-1) were measured in samples from USA, while the Spirulina fabricated in Bulgaria exhibits the highest contents of Zn (242 mg kg-1) and Cu (25.4 mg kg-1). All samples followed the tendency Mg>Fe>Mn>Zn>Cu. Making use of a fiber optic spectrometer the fluorescence spectra of the studied samples of Spirulina platensis for an excitation wavelength of 380 nm were measured. In these spectra we observe three fluorescence maxima: at 465 nm – nicotinamide dinucleotide phosphate, 640 nm chlorophyll a, and 736 nm due to similar to chlorophyll pigments. A strong positive correlation between the contents of Zn and Cu on the one side and the second fluorescence peak (λ=640 nm) for excitation wavelength at 380 nm. In contrast, a high negative correlation for Fe and the third fluorescence maximum (λ= 736nm) is observed for all excitation wavelengths. The correlation dependencies were obtained with the least squares method with a significance level of p ≤ 0.05.

Keywords

Spirulina,, fluorescence spectra, infrared spectra, elements

Supporting Institution

Medical university of Varna

Project Number

"Development of a green phycocyanin manufacturing process from Spirulina with potential applications in pharmacy and food technology", grant number 21001.

Thanks

This research was funded by "Development of a green phycocyanin manufacturing process from Spirulina with potential applications in pharmacy and food technology", grant number 21001.

References

• 1. Ahsan M, Habib B, Parvin M, Huntington TC, Hasan MR, A review on culture, production and use of spirulina as food for humans and feeds for domestic animals and fish. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Circular [Internet]. Rome: Food And Agriculture Organization Of The United Nations; 2008. ISBN 978-92-5-106106-0
• 2. Sankarapandian V, Nitharsan K, Parangusadoss K, Gangadaran P, Ramani P, Venmathi Maran BA, Jogalekar MP. Prebiotic Potential and Value-Added Products Derived from Spirulina laxissima SV001—A Step towards Healthy Living. BioTech 2022; 11: 13.
• 3. Masten Rutar J, Jagodic Hudobivnik M, Necemer M, Vogel Mikuš K, Arcon I Ogrinc N. ˇ Nutritional Quality and Safety of the Spirulina Dietary Supplements Sold on the Slovenian Market. Foods 2022; 11: 849.
• 4. Gentscheva G, Milkova-Tomova I, Pehlivanov I, Gugleva V, Nikolova K, Petkova N, Andonova V, Buhalova D, Pisanova E. Chemical Characterization of Selected Algae and Cyanobacteria from Bulgaria as Sources of Compounds with Antioxidant Activity. Appl. Sci. 2022; 12: 9935..
• 5. Araújo R, Vázquez Calderón F, Sánchez López J, Azevedo IC, Bruhn A, Fluch S, Garcia Tasende M, Ghaderiardakani F., Ilmjärv T, Laurans M et al. Current Status of the Algae Production Industry in Europe: An Emerging Sector of the Blue Bioeconomy. Front. Mar. Sci. 2022; 7: 626389.
• 6. Cifferi O. Spirulina, the edible microorganism. Microbiol Rev. 1983; 47(4): 551-578.
• 7. Ramírez-Rodrigues MM, Estrada-Beristain C, Metri-Ojeda J, Pérez-Alva A, Baigts-Allende DK. Spirulina platensis Protein as Sustainable Ingredient for Nutritional Food Products Development. Sustainability 2020; 13: 6849.
• 8. Aouir A, Amiali M, Bitam A, Benchabane A. Raghavan VG. Comparison of the biochemical composition of different Arthrospira platensis strains from Algeria, Chad and the USA. J. Food Meas. Charact. 2017; 11: 913–923.
• 9. Choopani A, Poorsoltan M. Fazilati M, Latifi AM, Salavati H. Spirulina: A Source of Gamma-linoleic Acid and Its Applications. J. Appl Biotechnol. Rep. 2016; 3: 483–488.
• 10. Grosshagauer S, Kraemer K, Somoza V. The True Value of Spirulina. J. Agric. Food Chem. 2020; 68: 4109–4115.
• 11. Rzymski P, Budzulak J, Niedzielski P, Klimaszyk P, Proch J, Kozak L, Poniedziałek B, Essential and toxic elements in commercial microalgal food supplements. J. Appl. Phycol. 2019; 31: 3567–3579.
• 12. Lafarga T, Fernández-Sevilla JM, González-López C, Acién-Fernández FG, Spirulina for the food and functional food industries. Food Res. Int. 2020; 137: 109356.
• 13. Koli DK, Rudra SG, Bhowmik A, Pabbi S. Nutritional, Functional, Textural and Sensory Evaluation of Spirulina Enriched Green Pasta: A Potential Dietary and Health Supplement. Foods 2022; 11: 979.
• 14. DiNicolantonio JJ, Bhat AG, OKeefe J. Effects of spirulina on weight loss and blood lipids: A review. Open Heart 2020; 7: e001003.
• 15. Sorrenti V, Castagna DA, Fortinguerra S, Buriani A, Scapagnini G, Willcox DC. Spirulina Microalgae and Brain Health: A Scoping Review of Experimental and Clinical Evidence. Mar. Drugs 2021; 19: 293.
• 16. Parada JL, de Caire GZ, de Mulé MCZ, de Cano MMS. Lactic acid bacteria growth promoters from Spirulina platensis. Int. J. Food Microbiol. 1998; 45: 225–228.
• 17. Pez Jaeschke D, Rocha Teixeira I, Damasceno Ferreira Marczak L, Domeneghini Mercali G. Phycocyanin from Spirulina: A review of extraction methods and stability. Food Research International. 2021; 143: 110314.
• 18. Vicat JP, Jean-Claude Doumnang Mbaigane, Yves Bellion. Contents of macromineral and trace elements in Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) from France, Chad, Togo, Niger, Mali, Burkina-Faso and Central African Republic. Comptes Rendus Biologies. 2014; 337 (1): 44-52.
• 19. Janda-Milczarek K, Szymczykowska K, Jakubczyk K, Kupnicka P, Skonieczna-Zydecka ̇K.; Pilarczyk B, Tomza-Marciniak A, Ligenza A, Stachowska E, Dalewski B. Spirulina Supplementsmas a Source of Mineral Nutrients in the Daily Diet. Appl. Sci. 2023; 13: 1011.
• 20. Yin-Mao Hsu, Jon-Mau Hwang and Taun-Ran Yeh. Inorganic Elements Determination for Algae/Spirulina Food Marketed in Taiwan. Journal of Food and Drug Analysis. 2001; 9(3): 178-182.
• 21. Fais G, Manca A, Bolognesi F, Borselli M, Concas A, Busutti M, Broggi G, Sanna P, Castillo-Aleman YM, Rivero-Jiménez RA et al. Wide Range Applications of Spirulina:From Earth to Space Missions. Mar.Drugs 2022; 20: 299.
• 22. Cadondon JG, Ong PMB, Vallar EA, Shiina T, Galvez MCD, Chlorophyll-a Pigment Measurement of Spirulina in Algal Growth Monitoring Using Portable Pulsed LED Fluorescence Lidar System. Sensors 2022; 22: 2940.
• 23. Li D, Xie J, Zhao Y, Zhao J. Probing connection of PBS with the photosystems in intact cells of Spirulina platensis by temperature-induced fluorescence fluctuation. Biochim Biophys Acta Bioenerg BBA-Bioenergetics. 2003; 1557: 35–40.
• 24. Gobets B, van Stokkum IH, Rögner M, Kruip J, Schlodder E, Karapetyan NV, Dekker JP, van Grondelle R. Time-Resolved Fluorescence Emission Measurements of Photosystem I Particles of Various Cyanobacteria: A Unified Compartmental Model. Biophysical Journal. 2001; 81(1), 407-424.
• 25. Karapetyan NV, Dorra D, Schweitzer G, Bezsmertnaya IN, Holzwarth AR, Fluorescence Spectroscopy of the Longwave Chlorophylls in Trimeric and Monomeric Photosystem I Core Complexes from the Cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis, Biochemistry 1997; 36 (45): 13830–13837.
• 26. Akimoto S, Yokono M, Hamada F, Teshigahara A, Aikawa SH, Kondo A. Adaptation of light-harvesting systems of Arthrospira platensis to light conditions, probed by time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. Biochim Biophys Acta Bioenerg BBA-BIOENERGETICS. 2012; 1817 (8): 1483–1489.
• 27. Uebel U, Kubitz J, Anders A. Laser induced fluorescence spectroscopy of phytoplankton and chemicals with regard to an in situ detection in waters. J. Plant Physiol. 1996; 148 (5): 586–592.
• 28. Arief VO, Trilestari K, Sunarso J,Indraswati N, Ismadji S. Recent progress on biosorption of heavy metals from liquids using low cost biosorbents: characterization, biosorption parameters and mechanism studies: a review. Clean. 2008; 36: 937–962.
• 29. Vilar VJP, Botelho CMS, Pinheiro JPS, Domingos RF, Boaventura RAR. Copper removal by algal biomass: biosorbents characterization and equilibrium modelling. J. Hazard. Mater. 2009; 163: 1113–1122.
• 30. Hai Jing Liu, Chang Hua Xu, Qun Zhou, Feng Wang, Wei Ming Li, Yi Ming Ha, Su Qin Sun. Analysis and identification of irradiated Spirulina powder by a three-step infrared macro-fingerprint spectroscopy. Radiation Physics and Chemistry. 2013; 85:210-217.
• 31. Liu HJ, Xu CH, Li WM, Wang F, Zhou Q, Li A, Zhao YL, Ha YM, Sun SQ. Analysis of Spirulina powder by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and calculation of protein content. Spectroscopy and spectral analysis, 2013; 33(04):977-981.
• 32. Sukhikh S, Prosekov A, Ivanova S, Maslennikov P, Andreeva A, Budenkova E, Kashirskikh E, Tcibulnikova A, Zemliakova E, Samusev I et al. Identification of Metabolites with Antibacterial Activities by Analyzing the FTIR Spectra of Microalgae. Life, 2022: 12: 1395.