Undaria Pinnatifida is an invasive species of seaweed that has colonised large stretches of the New Zealand coastlines. Although the benefits of seaweed species are well recognised, their ability to quickly establish and outcompete native marine species can significantly impact the local biodiversity. In an effort to stabilise the marine ecosystem from the rapid reproduction of undaria in New Zealand, several authorities suggested the significant removal of biomass. Subsequently, the harvested seaweed can be considered for the subsequent discovery of added-value products. The undaria is a rich source of bioactive molecules like fucoidan polysaccharides, fucoxanthin and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids which exhibit several pharmaceutically interesting biological activities. Currently, conventional extraction methods cannot satisfy both environmental and economic concerns, and the development of green technology is vital. Presently, deep eutectic solvents as green solvents are gaining growing attention in the extraction of bioactive compounds due to their potential for enhancing the thermal stability of bioactive compounds and their low toxicity and lack of adverse effects on the environment. This project aims to develop an economical, efficient and scalable extraction technology for potential bioactive compounds in Undaria Pinnatifida seaweed using deep eutectic solvents.
Undergraduate
None
No lab has been assigned to this project