Structural and Rheological Characteristics of Alginate from Sargassum cristaefolium Extracted by Twin Screw Extruder

This study aimed to investigate the effects of process extrusion on the characteristics of Sargassum cristaefolium sodium alginate (SCSA) extracted using twin-screw extruder. Box-Behnken Design (BBD) from response surface methodology (RSM) was established to understand the effects of temperature, screw speed, and pH on the multiple-responses of alginate characteristics including intrinsic viscosity, yield, and molecular weight. The results revealed that temperature, screw speed, and pH significantly affected (P < .05) all responses. The optimum extraction condition was found at temperature of 58.18°C, screw speed of 77.99 rpm, and pH 10.11. At this condition, the response of residence time distribution was 7.07 ± 0.029 min, yield of 34.01 ± 0.12%, intrinsic viscosity of 460.13 ± 14.75 mL/g, and molecular weight of 217.94 ± 7.14 × 10³ g/mol. This alginate had mannuronic acid to guluronic acid (M/G) ratio of 0.28, and the L-guluronic acid block was 0.78, which was higher than the D-mannuronic acid block. Rheological characterization of SCSA in aqueous solution was shear-thinning pseudoplastic, and alginate gel in 1 M CaCl₂ was more elastic than liquid.