A Study on the Extraction of Carrageenan From Ninh Thuan Kappaphycus Alvarezii

The purpose of this research is to extract carrageenan with good quality and high productivity from Ninh Thuan kappaphycus alvarezii. The influential factors under study showed their changing values as follows: the concentration of potassium hydroxide solution for soaking the seaweed ranging from 5% to 7%; the duration for soaking the seaweed in potassium hydroxide solution lasting from 50 minutes to 90 minutes; the cooking temperature ranging from 90oC to 110oC; the cooking time lasting from 55 minutes to 75 minutes and the weight ratio of water to seaweed fluctuating from 5.0:1 to 15:1. The results showed that soaking Ninh Thuan Kappaphycus alvarezii in a potassium hydroxide solution with a concentration of 6.5% in 80 minutes, which was then extracted at 95oC in 60 minutes with the water - seaweed ratio of 10:1, brought about high productivity (48.31%) and quality of the carrageenan (the viscosity of the carrageenan product was 1110 cP at the concentration of 1% and at 70°C).