Conversion of Flower Waste Biomass into Value-Added Natural Colorant

Abstract

According to estimates, floral waste makes up about a third of all solid trash in India, making it one of the country's greatest land and water pollutants. The dead flowers are often thrown into the nearest body of water, which is typically a river. Flower garbage can be utilized for the extraction of natural colors. The present study deals with the collection of waste Ixora coccinea flower biomass for the extraction of natural pigment. Optimization of the extraction process was done using response surface methodology (RSM) for various extraction techniques. The pigment extracted was further analyzed by UV-visible spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy, and High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry which showed the presence of anthocyanin. The total phenol, flavonoid, and anthocyanin content of the pigment were determined along with its antioxidant properties. To maintain stability, the pigment was encapsulated into a polymer and further characterized by FTIR and SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope). The biomass of fresh flowers and pigment yield from 50 Ixora coccinea flowering plants was calculated for the summer, autumn, winter, and spring seasons which revealed that the maximum pigment can be obtained during the summer season. Because pigment yield and biomass weight are correlated, a lot of biomasses are required for a high yield of pigment