Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Pigments Based on Bentonite: Strategies to Stabilize the Quinoidal Base Form of Anthocyanin

Anthocyanins are one of the natural pigments that humanity has employed the most and can substitute synthetic food dyes, which are considered toxic. They are responsible for most purple, blue, and red pigment nuances in tubers, fruits, and flowers. However, they have some limitations in light, pH, oxygen, and temperature conditions. Combining biomolecules and inorganic materials such as clay minerals can help to reverse these limitations. The present work aims to produce materials obtained using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide in bentonite clay for incorporation and photostabilization of anthocyanin dye. Characterizations showed that the organic molecules were intercalated between the clay mineral layers, and the dye was successfully incorporated at a different pH. Visible light-driven photostability tests were performed with 200 h of irradiation, confirming that the organic-inorganic matrices were efficient enough to stabilize the quinoidal base form of anthocyanin. The pigment prepared at pH 10 was three-fold more stable than pH 4, showing that the increase in the synthesis pH promotes more stable colors, probably due to the stronger intermolecular interaction obtained under these conditions. Therefore, organobentonite hybrids allow to stabilize the fragile color coming from the quinoidal base form of anthocyanin dyes.

Automated summary

This study aims to use cetyltrimethylammonium bromide in bentonite clay to produce materials for incorporating and photostabilizing anthocyanin dye, overcoming its limitations in light, pH, oxygen, and temperature conditions. The results showed that the organic molecules were intercalated between the clay mineral layers and the dye was successfully incorporated at different pH levels. Visible light-driven photostability tests confirmed the efficiency of the organic-inorganic matrices in stabilizing the quinoidal base form of anthocyanin. The pigment prepared at pH 10 was three-fold more stable than at pH 4, indicating that a higher synthesis pH promotes more stable colors due to stronger intermolecular interaction.