Abstract—The algal extracellular polymeric sustances (EPS) have been studied as natural resources for a number of applications. For a macroalgae Spirogyra fluviatilis, the aboundant extracellular matrix on the surface of algae cell. EPS has a gel-like structure that could fractioned into loosely bound EPS (LB-EPS) and tightly bound EPS (TB-EPS). The contents and extraction rate of EPS were compared two chemical (formaldehyde-NaOH and NH₄OH) and two physical (ultrasonication and heating) extraction methods. The analysis demonstrated that extraction rates of EPS followed heating (7.94 mg g^-1 fresh algae) > ultrasonication (5.02 mg g-¹ fresh algae) > formaldehyde-NaOH (3.12 mg g-1 fresh algae) > NH₄OH (2.01 mg g-1 fresh algae). The protein to polysaccharides ratio (P/S) in EPS is between 0.23 to 0.35 by chemical methods and between 0.27 to 0.37 by physical methods. The P/S ratio is LB-EPS is higher than TB-EPS. The results indicated that the EPS could be efficiently extracted by the heating method, the influence of P/S ratios were obvious different.

Index Terms—Spirogyra fluviatilis, algae, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), protein, polysaccharide.

The authors are with Department of Environmental Engineering, Kun Shan University, Tainan City, Taiwan (email: lyc007@mail.ksu.edu.tw).

Cite: Shui-Ping Chang, Hwey-Lin Sheu, Yi-Chao Lee, "Comparison of EPS Extraction Efficiences from Spirogyra fluviatilis by Chemical and Physical Extraction Methods," International Journal of Bioscience, Biochemistry and Bioinformatics vol. 9, no. 4, pp. 202-209, 2019.