EXTRACTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF ASTAXANTHIN FROM THE CRUSTACEAN SHELL WASTE FROM SHRIMP PROCESSING INDUSTRIES

India having a large stretch of marine coastline is advantageous as a natural resource for marine aquaculture. But the waste produce from the marine processing industries fetch a greater environmental risk as there is accumulation of wastes in huge quantity. These wastes are a larger source of natural carotenoids that have a huge pharmaceutical potentials. So proper initiatives must be taken to recycle the waste into a product. Natural astaxanthin from crustacean shell waste is a better alternative to the synthetic orange-red pigment. In this present investigation astaxanthin was extracted from crustacean shell waste, by using organic solvents of different polarities (Hexane, methanol, ethanol, petroleum ether, chloroform and acetone). Characterization of the astaxanthin pigment were performed by TLC buy comparing the Retardation factor (R_f) as indicated in  Lorenz Todd standard chromatogram where three bands of Astaxanthin (R_f=0.36), Astaxanthin monoester(R_f=0.60) and Astaxanthin diester (R_f=0.75) were detected. The extraction yield of the natural carotenoid from shrimp waste was compared amongst all solvents spectrophotometrically at 470 nm and quantified using equation of Kelley and Harmon. Astaxanthin yield obtained from acetone extract was highest with 48.64µg/g compared to other solvent extracts. These extract were then subjected to the microbiological assay by against gram positive and gram negative bacteria, where the methanolic extract gave highest zone of inhibition as compared to the extracts with other organic solvents.