Study on extraction of chlorophyll from Altemanthera Sessilis (Linn.) : operating conditions and mass transfer

Abstract

Chlorophyll is a widely used ingredient for various applications including medicines, food supplements, cosmetics and toiletries. It is extracted traditionally from alfalfa, spinach and algae. Altemanthera sessilis, commonly known as mukunuwenna available in Sri Lanka is proposed for the extraction of chlorophyll The extraction was carried out using buffered 80% aqueous acetone. The optimum operating conditions; solvent to A. sessilis ratio, extraction temperature and extraction time found to be 5 ml/g, 50°C and 45 minutes, respectively. The yield of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b under the optimum operating conditions are 659 and 261 ug/g of A. sessilis respectively and comparison of results obtained on yield with the reported data is presented. Furthermore, the transfer from the soiid to the solvent for various operating temperatures was modelled and Abstract: were mass validated with the experimental results.