Masoumeh Azarmehr - Department of Chemical Engineering, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, IRAN
Mahmood Akhavan Mahdavi - Department of Chemical Engineering, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, IRAN
Reza Gheshlaghi - Department of Chemical Engineering, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, IRAN

Pigments are used in various industries such as food, medicine and cosmetics as a dye and a therapeutic agent. Chlorophylls and carotenoids are two large groups of pigments. Generally, chlorophyll a content is highest in plant and algae species. Considering the importance of chlorophylls, extraction and separation of chlorophyll a+b from microalgae Chlorella vulgaris was addressed in this study. Extarction was performed using adsorption technique by means of graphene as adsorbent. Loading of adsorbent (mg graphene per ml extract) is an effective factor in adsorption efficiency. It was found that the loading of 30 mg graphene per ml extract was adequate to achieve the adsorption efficiency of 88%. Higher loading were not economically justified. Technically, to reach this efficiency, it was found that the extract solution need to be recirculated through the bed for five times.

Microalgae, Chlorella vulgaris, Chlorophyll, Graphene, Adsorption