Potential applications of the heteropolysaccharide produced by the extreme halophilic archaeon Haloterrigena turkmenica
摘要
Some properties of the exopolysaccharide (EPS) produced by the haloarchaeon Haloterrigena turkmenica (Htg. turkmenica) were investigated. The heavy metal binding capacity was evaluated using Pb2+, Cd2+ and Cu2+ ions. The EPS demonstrated a strong ability to bind Pb2+, resulting in a metal removal rate of 80.36% at 10 mg/L ion concentration, and an adsorption capacity of 123.36 mg/g EPS at 50 mg/L ion concentration. The polysaccharide was also able to remove methylene blue (MB) from an aqueous solution, showing 50.43% efficiency and a dye adsorption capacity of 523.33 mg/g EPS. The antioxidant power of the biopolymer was measured using two different radicals: the ABTS radical cation and the superoxide radical anion. It exhibited high radical scavenging activity, with IC50 of 0.82 and 0.34 mg/mL for the radical cation and the radical anion, respectively. The anti-inflammatory power was evaluated by means of the Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) denaturation assay in view of the potential use of the EPS in the cosmetic sector. The activity was remarkable; it showed the same BSA denaturation inhibition effect as ibuprofen used as a positive control (73.29% and 73.19%, respectively). The overall results prove that the EPS from Htg. turkmenica has characteristics that make it of interest for applications in the cosmetic, food and environmental sectors.