Abstract:
Objective The present study aims to establish the best technology of extraction and arsenic removal of Antarctic krill oil, improve the safety of Antarctic krill oil products, and lay the foundation for the industrial production of high-quality Antarctic krill oil.
Methods In this paper, frozen Antarctic krill powder was used as raw material. The response surface methodology was employed to optimize the extraction rate of Antarctic krill oil, while atomic fluorescence photometry was utilized to assess the effectiveness of arsenic removal from the oil. Building on single-factor tests, the extraction rate of Antarctic krill oil served as the response variable, with ethanol concentration, liquid-to-material ratio, and ultrasonic extraction time selected as independent variables. The extraction process of Antarctic krill oil was optimized, and the arsenic removal efficiency of the krill oil was evaluated.
Results The results indicated that a quadratic polynomial regression equation has been established using the response surface analysis method: Xyield=19.02−0.30A+0.68B+0.92C−0.24AB−0.19AC+0.49BC−1.11A2−1.04B2−1.29C2. The model showed a significance level of P<0.0001, and the misfit term had P>0.05, indicating that the model was highly significant and relatively stable. Through model analysis, the optimal conditions were determined to be: ethanol concentration of 91.1563%, liquid-to-material ratio of 8.6892 mL/g, and ultrasonic extraction time of 47.4734 minutes. Considering practical application feasibility, these conditions were adjusted to an ethanol concentration of 91%, a liquid-to-material ratio of 8 mL/g, and an ultrasonic extraction time of 47 minutes. Under the revised conditions, the actual yield of Antarctic krill oil was found to be 18.36%±0.58%, which was in close agreement with the theoretical prediction of 18.62% from the model. The Cleanert Alumina A SPE column with activated alumina as the medium could remove 82.61%±4.63% of the total arsenic from Antarctic krill oil.
Conclusion Based on the response surface methodology, the extraction process for Antarctic krill oil involved using 91% ethanol, a liquid-to-material ratio of 8 mL/g, and an ultrasonic extraction time of 47 minutes. Cleanert Alumina A adsorption columns using activated alumina as a medium can be used as an ideal material for arsenic removal of Antarctic krill oil in the future.