Extraction of Natural Pigments

Natural Pigment Extraction and Industrial Application Areas

Abstract

Pigments are primarily classified into two categories: organic and inorganic. Differences exist between organic and inorganic pigments, including brightness, chemical stability, color, cost, dispersion, light absorption, size, and surface area. Pigments are particularly used in the textile industry as fillers and for imparting color to materials, as well as for developing various functional properties such as flame retardancy, antibacterial, antimicrobial, water repellency, UV repellency, radiation protection, optical properties, sound and heat insulation. In coating materials specifically, inorganic pigments containing heavy metals should not be preferred. These pigments can cause serious harm to human health. In this study, the harmful effects of inorganic pigments on human health are discussed, and natural pigments have been produced from plant and natural sources. The aim is to extend the application field of natural pigments for use in baby clothing, baby diapers, covering manufacturing, children's toys, everyday objects used by the public, underwear and outer garments, as well as all objects in contact with the body in a manner that does not harm the skin and human health.  

1. Introduction

The concept of pigment was used in Latin to define colored substances. Pigments have come to the forefront due to their multiple application areas. Pigments, used as important compounds in textile, livestock, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, and plastic industries, can be obtained through synthetic routes; however, natural pigments are preferred for use. Pigments are compounds capable of absorbing light and responsible for displaying a specific color. Pigments in amorphous and crystalline forms, depending on production methods and parameters, can lead to crystal defects, which cause color changes and brightness deterioration in the final product. The color properties of pigments are determined by chromophore groups and oxochrome groups, which are designated as color-giving groups. Numerous organisms such as insects, plants, and microorganisms are recognized as natural pigment sources. In addition to these groups, they possess potential for use due to their stability, productivity, and efficiency in the processing procedure. In the plastics-polymer industry, microbial pigments, beyond their coloring function, possess antimicrobial and antioxidant properties due to their biological advantages. In a world where synthetic production methods are becoming increasingly common, the need for naturalness and sustainability makes natural pigment production viable. As the positive health benefits of natural compounds are well-known, demand for natural sources of such compounds is increasing daily. Consequently, the potential of natural pigments, which serve as a haven for the food industry, has become a focal point for researchers. Pigment varieties are classified as synthetic, inorganic, and natural pigments. Synthetic pigments, standing out as color additives and dominating different application fields, are dyes that make the product more visually appealing to the customer and can tolerate color changes that may occur when incorporated into the product. Natural pigments possess carbon chains and rings and are produced from animals and vegetables. Natural pigments have bright and rich color content. They are typically created using flora and fauna. Inorganic pigments are composed of ground minerals and metallic salts. Due to the minerals they contain, they are opaque in nature and have become the preferred choice due to their light fastness and low cost. Inorganic pigments are popular in the industrial field due to their resistance in preventing fading of light-exposed products. Production at appropriate costs according to need is emphasized. Inorganic pigments are generally metal oxides and synthetic chemicals. Their composition is quite simple. Examples of inorganic pigments include lead oxide, cobalt blue, cadmium yellow, and titanium yellow. Based on new environmental regulations, which are very strict regarding toxicity, some metal oxides and synthetic chemicals are no longer preferred. The production and use of synthetic dyes in fabric dyeing is currently dominated by a major industrial sector. The presence of sulfur, naphthol dyes, nitrates, acetic acid, soaps, enzymes, chromium compounds, copper, arsenic, lead, cadmium, mercury, nickel, cobalt, and certain auxiliary chemicals, such as heavy metals collectively, can make textile waste toxic. When heavy metals reach seawater as waste, marine organisms are affected. After a prolonged process, marine organisms are affected by heavy metals, while serious impacts occur in seafood as well. Corals in particular accumulate heavy metals significantly. Our research team collected sea corals in their studies and performed heavy metal analysis. Cadmium, sulfur, mercury, and other heavy metals were found in their composition. Following sterilization by our team, corals were converted to powder and calcium carbonate (CaCO3) content was determined through thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Accordingly, orthophosphoric acid (H3PO4) was calculated to equalize the calcium:phosphate (Ca:P) ratio to 1.75 for bone and tooth powder production, and hydroxyapatite (HA) bioceramics were obtained after reaction with calcium carbonate, mixing for 2 days, drying in a vacuum oven, and sintering at 850°C for 4 hours. The use of this HA ceramic containing accumulated heavy metals in medical applications can trigger cancer formation due to its toxic effects of heavy metal accumulation in the body and can create the danger of causing skin irritation and dermatological conditions. Prolonged or high-level exposure to paints and paint fumes can cause headaches, allergies, asthma reactions, and irritation to the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract. The most significant environmental impact from paints is the emission of volatile organic matter. Some organic pigments cause allergic reactions. Chemical decomposition and the resulting emission of small molecular toxins from organic pigments can be considered a risk factor. Lead pigment use has been banned due to significant health and environmental problems it causes in paints. Inorganic pigments are toxicologically neutral substances due to their crystalline structure. This approach can include the composition and particle size of inorganic pigments. Today, environmentally friendly inorganic pigments have been developed to replace traditional pigments. Elements such as Cd, Co, Cr, Hg, and Pb are considered toxic. Elements hazardous to health and the environment are Sb and Se. Currently, most yellow inorganic pigments contain cadmium, lead, and chromium (IV)—harmful heavy metal inorganic chemicals—and their use has been banned in some countries due to their effects on the environment and human health. Looking at sector-based applications, titanium dioxide can be mentioned as a commonly used inorganic pigment. It is used as a matting agent due to its high covering (high refractive index) properties. Inhalation exposure to TiO2 nanoparticles causes immune responses and neurological toxic effects. Delayed hypersensitivity to titanium and its oxides can pose a health threat to sensitive individuals. Unwanted properties similar to nano-sized TiO2 can be associated with harmful effects and can be used for some beneficial applications. TiO2 pigments irritate the skin or mucous membranes. Titanium dioxide or other pigments should avoid inhalation of pigment dust. TiO2 has very low water solubility. Zinc ions have effects on the organism. Soluble zinc in large quantities is toxic. However, the human body contains 2 grams of zinc, and the daily amount for metabolic processes is between 10-20 mg. Zinc sulfide (ZnS) pigments are non-toxic unless contaminated with heavy metal compounds. They do not provide acute toxicity. Inhalation of pigment dust can cause mechanical respiratory tract irritation. Contact with skin or eyes can cause irritation through mechanical friction. Nevertheless, pigmented dyes that mix with the sea as textile waste have serious harmful effects. Scientists who conducted research on the harmful effects of mussels, which are extensively consumed seafood in Turkey, revealed the presence of heavy metals such as cadmium, lead, and mercury in their composition, as well as agricultural mixture residues. In this study, plant and natural products were preferred as organic pigments. Natural dye was obtained using turmeric, snapdragon, ivy, clove, peony, pansy, rubber plant, Janet Craig, Boston fern, Dracaena, Aloe vera, flamingo flower, bamboo plant (Areca), Gerbera daisy, English ivy, and ribbon flower. Consequently, dyeing applications were performed with dyes with known properties in a wide variety of applications, and through their dyeing properties, the products were given color as well as natural properties. Using these substances, our team that produced masks during the COVID-19 pandemic in the health sector achieved 99.999% filtration capability. Therefore, our study has provided an illuminating contribution.  

2. Materials and Methods

Materials Used

Turmeric, snapdragon, ivy, clove, peony, pansy, rubber plant, Janet Craig, Boston fern, Dracaena, Aloe vera, flamingo flower, bamboo plant (Areca), Gerbera daisy, English ivy, and ribbon flower were used. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and distilled water for deproteinization were obtained from Istanbul Arel University ArelPOTKAM (Polymer Technologies and Composite Application and Research Center). Polycaprolactone (PCL) polymer with Mw: 80,000 g/mol from Sigma/Aldrich brand and solvents such as dimethylformamide (DMF) and chloroform were used to dissolve the polymers.

Method

5 grams of NaOH was weighed for deproteinization and dye extraction, and dissolved in 100 ml of distilled water at 60°C for 2 hours. Following lyophilization drying, 3 grams each of turmeric, snapdragon, ivy, clove, peony, pansy, rubber plant, Janet Craig, Boston fern, Dracaena, Aloe vera, flamingo flower, bamboo plant (Areca), Gerbera daisy, English ivy, and ribbon flower were added separately to each beaker of NaOH/distilled water mixture. In this process, mixing was performed for 12 hours. After 12 hours, the product filtered through a 0.45 μm filter was washed three times with distilled water. Thus, the material stripped of fat through deproteinization was dried in a vacuum oven. After the drying process, each plant product dye dissolved in ethanol was obtained by means of an evaporator device.  

Application of the Obtained Dye to Fibers by Nanotechnological Electrospinning Method

10 grams of PCL polymer by weight was prepared in a solvent system of chloroform/DMF at 60/40 ml ratio, and nanotechnological textile fibers dyed with dye were obtained according to the electrospinning working parameters specified in Table 2. Powders of turmeric, snapdragon, ivy, clove, peony, pansy, rubber plant, Janet Craig, Boston fern, Dracaena, Aloe vera, flamingo flower, bamboo plant (Areca), Gerbera daisy, English ivy, and ribbon flower were incorporated into the polymer structure at 1%, 3%, 5%, and 10% ratios.   3. Results Organic pigment production was successfully completed. The organic pigment improved mechanical properties and refined nanofibers. High-value products can be obtained that can address healthcare, cosmetics, food, children's toys and clothing, textile, agriculture, and filtration applications.   References [1] Dağ, T. (2017). Investigation of Pigment Production with Fusarium sp. [2] Siva, R. (2007). Status of natural dyes and dye-yielding plants in India. Current science, 916-925 [3] Korumilli, T. (2015). Studies on pigment production by microorganisms using raw materials of agro-industrial origin (Doctoral dissertation). [4] Soliev, A. B., Hosokawa, K., & Enomoto, K. (2011). Bioactive pigments from marine bacteria: applications and physiological roles. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine: ECAM, 2011. [5] Mortensen, A. (2005). Analysis of a complex mixture of carotenes from oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) fruit extract. Food research international, 38(8-9), 847-853. [6] Durán, M., Ponezi, A. N., Faljoni-Alario, A., Teixeira, M. F., Justo, G. Z., & Durán, N. (2012). Potential applications of violacein: a microbial pigment. Medicinal Chemistry Research, 21(7), 1524-1532 [7] Sargazi, S., Simge, E. R., Gelen, S. S., Rahdar, A., Bilal, M., Arshad, R., ... & Pandey, S. (2022). Application of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in photothermal and photodynamic therapy of cancer: An updated and comprehensive review. Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology, 103605. [8] Buluş, E., & Buluş, G. S. (2021). Intelligent Nano-Protective Production In Industrial Paints. JOURNAL OF MATERIALS AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES, 1(1), 28-31. [9] Mohammad Azmin, S. N. H., Sulaiman, N. S., Mat Nor, M. S., Abdullah, P. S., Abdul Kari, Z., & Pati, S. (2022). A Review on Recent Advances on Natural Plant Pigments in Foods: Functions, Extraction, Importance and Challenges. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 1-18. [10] Buluş, E., Buluş, G. S., & Yakuphanoglu, F. (2020). Production of polylactic acid-activated charcoal nanofiber membranes for COVID-19 pandemic by electrospinning technique and determination of filtration efficiency. Journal of Materials and Electronic Devices, 4(1), 21-26. [11] Buluş, E., Buluş, G. S., Akkaş, M., Cetin, T., Yaman, E., & Altındal, T. (2020). Nanotechnological Wound Healing Bandage Production from Polymer Solutions Containing Tea Tree Oil, Echinacea, Spider Web and Aloe Vera. JOURNAL OF MATERIALS AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES, 6(1), 19-23.     Instructor Erdi Buluş ArelPOTKAM Transportation Services Department Civil Aviation Cabin Services Program Vocational School Istanbul Arel University   Instructor Ruşen İnan Design Department Head Fashion Design Program Vocational School Istanbul Arel University   Dr. Tayfun Çetin Electrical and Energy Department Yüksekova Vocational School Hakkari University   Gülseren Sakarya Buluş Specialist Nurse Istanbul Provincial Health Directorate Engineering Management Department Graduate Education Institute Bahçeşehir University   Salih Asker Specialist ArelPOTKAM Istanbul Arel University   Kibar Aras Specialist ArelPOTKAM Istanbul Arel University   Ömer Tapan Molecular Biology and Genetics Department Faculty of Arts and Sciences Istanbul Arel University