Obtenção de oligossacarídeos prebióticos a partir da hidrólise fosfórica da biomassa de microalgas utilizadas na biomitigação de CO2 de efluente gasoso de churrascaria

Abstract

Microalgae have been utilized in the environmental area in CO2 biomitigation processes as they use it in their metabolism for the production of cellular biomass, which can then be utilized for nutritional and commercial purposes. Within this scope, the current research elected as the main objective, the obtention of nutraceutical oligosaccharides from microalgae biomasses through a phosphoric acid hydrolysis under different and moderated pH and thermopressurization conditions. One biomass, coming from a gaseous effluent treatment system from a steakhouse was compared to commercial biomasses, Chlorella vulgaris e Spirulina platensis. Microscopic and physicochemical analyses were carried for these biomasses characterization, namely moisture, ashes, carbohydrates, lipids and protein contents. Alkaline methyl transesterifications were realized in the total lipid fractions and then the corresponding products analyzed by chromatographic methods. As compared to the native biomasses, they were subjected to pretreatments: organic solvents removal of lipids, cell wall purification with detergent SDS (Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate) and recovery of polymeric molecules of the later extracts. These derived biomasses fractions, as well as the whole ones were partially or totally hydrolyzed with thermopressurization at 4.5 atm (156 °C) using diluted phosphoric acid at pH 2 or with water as controls (solvolysis). Enzyme assays were further performed with α- amylase and β-1,3 glucanase in the phosphoric acid hydrolyzed oligosaccharides from native biomasses. A 32 factorial design was carried out with the three samples of whole microalgae biomasses, considering the variables phosphoric acid pH (2.5, 2.0, e 1.5) and atmospheric pressure (3 atm – 147 oC, 4.5 – 156 oC and 6.0 atm – 175 o C). For all hydrolysates were analyzed pH after hydrolysis, total and reducing sugar contents and chromatographic profiles. The resulting oligosaccharide samples were offered as carbon source for the culture of probiotic microorganisms Bifidobacterium animalis e Lactobacillus casei for the evaluation of bacterial growth and short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) production. Overall results indicated that irrespective to the pure native of the C. vulgaris inoculum into the CO2 mitigation system of the steakhouse, a pure massive biomass did not result and hence the designation of Devons’ blend for. The major component of microalgae biomasses was protein, above all for S. platensis (59.5 %). Alkaline transesterification showed the efficiency of the process, indicating similarity among the methyl esters arising either from C. vulgaris or the Devons’ blend as analyzed by gas chromatography. SDS treatment was more efficient for protein removal in the case of S. platensis biomass. The pretreated biomasses once hydrolysed displayed higher oligosaccharide contents for the Devons’ blend native, C. vulgaris delipidified and SDS-treated sample as well some similarity between native and both pretreatments in the case of S. platensis. The enzymatic assay indicated predominance of laminarin oligosaccharides (β-1,3 glucan), therefore prebiotics are resistants to amylasic action in upper gastroinstestinal tract. The factorial design showed that the particular S. platensis native biomass led to the best result of hydrolysis to reducing simple and oligosaccharidic sugars, then decreasingly followed by the Devons’ blend and C. vulgaris and the best conditions for the production and purity of the oligosaccharides were close to the central point of the factorial design. Probiotic cultures from the phosphoric acid hydrolysates allowed the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, beneficial bacteria growth, pH differences and short chain fatty acids production, above all, lactic acid, as monitored by high performance liquid chromatography. Therefore, this research indicated the feasibility of nutraceutical or prebiotic oligosaccharide production from microalgae biomasses, thus revealing a novel technological destination for these particular biomasses and fractions, once formed at the expense of CO2 and other volatile components from the gaseous effluent from a steakhouse.