Estimation of Pigments from Seaweeds by Using Acetone and DMSO

Seaweeds are macroalgae inhabiting marine water with 50 % major productivity using pigments. These pigments are important both in classification and biodiversity studies. Solvents play a major role in the process of extracting the pigments. In our present study, the pigments of the algal species were determined using acetone and DMSO for extracting various pigments and were examined comparatively. Acetone is an efficient solvent for pigment extraction but the study showed that DMSO was an equally good solvent for extraction of pigments especially in case of brown algae. However, acetone extraction of pigments was more efficient in green and red algae than DMSO extraction. The better of the two solvents used in this study, appears to be DMSO, because it does not require maceration, centrifugation or filtration.