Qualitative Analysis of Caulerpa racemosa Chlorophyll Extract in Natural Deep Eutectic Solvent (glucose-glycerol) using FTIR

The extraction of chlorophyll from Caulerpa racemosa using Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents
(NADES) composed of glucose and glycerol offers a sustainable alternative to conventional
solvents. This study investigates the efficiency of chlorophyll extraction using different molar
ratios of glucose to glycerol NADES (1:1, 1:2, and 1:3). Fresh samples of C. racemosa were
collected, cleaned, dried, and ground into a fine powder. The NADES mixtures were prepared
by heating and stirring glucose, glycerol, and water until a clear, homogeneous liquid formed. Chlorophyll extraction was performed using a shaker incubator, followed by filtration and centrifugation to obtain a clear supernatant. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy with Attenuated Total Reflectance (FTIR-ATR) was employed to analyze the functional groups in the extracted chlorophyll. The FTIR spectra confirmed the presence of key functional groups associated with chlorophyll molecules, such as O-H, C-H, and C=O, validating the extraction process. The results demonstrated that the glucose-glycerol NADES mixtures were effective in extracting chlorophyll from C. racemosa, with the 1:2 ratio showing the highest efficiency. It was concluded that use of NADES presents several advantages, including environmental friendliness, non-toxicity, and biodegradability, making it a promising method for large-scale chlorophyll extraction for applications in pharmaceuticals, food, and cosmetics. Future research could focus on optimizing NADES compositions and exploring their potential for extracting other bioactive compounds.

Keywords: Caulerpa racemosa, Chlorophyll, FTIR, NADES, Natural extraction.