Evaluation of antioxidant capacities of green microalgae

Three strains of green microalgae, Chlorococcum sp.C53, Chlorella sp. E53, and Chlorella sp.ED53 were studied for their antioxidant activities. Crude extracts of these microalgae in hot water and in ethanol were examined for their total phenolic contents and for their antioxidant capacities. In order to determine their phenolic contents, the Folin-Ciocalteu method was used. As for the determination of their antioxidant capacities, four different assays were used: (1) total antioxidant capacity determination; (2) DPPH radical scavenging assay; (3) ferrous ion chelating ability assay; and (4) inhibition of lipid peroxidation (using thiobarbituric acid reactive substance). For all the strains we have studied, their ethanolic extract showed more antioxidant activities than their hot water extract. Categorically, the ethanolic extract of Chlorella sp.E53 exhibited both the highest total phenolic content of 35.5 +/- 0.14 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE) g(-1) dry weight and the highest DPPH radical scavenging of 68.18 +/- 0.38 % at 1.4 mg mL(-1) (IC50 0.81 mg mL(-1)), whereas Chlorella sp.ED53 showed both the highest ferrous ion chelation activity of 42.78 +/- 1.48 % at 1 mg mL(-1) (IC50 1.23 mg mL(-1)) and the highest inhibition of lipid peroxidation of 87.96 +/- 0.59 % at 4 mg mL(-1). This high level of inhibition is comparable to 94.42 +/- 1.39 % of butylated hydroxytoluene, a commercial synthetic antioxidant, at the same concentration.