Prof. Tsair-Wang Chung
Chung Yuan Christian University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, China
Title: Process Analysis of Antioxidant Biomass Extraction from Circular Pineapple Leaves for Functional Material Applications Using Response Surface Methodology
Abstract:
This study investigated the phytochemical composition of pineapple leaves, with a particular focus on flavonoids and polyphenols known for their strong antioxidant properties. The presence of allantoin, a compound recognized for its skin-repairing activity, was also examined. The primary objective was to optimize extraction conditions in order to maximize flavonoid content, total polyphenol content, and antioxidant capacity, thereby identifying the most effective parameters for antioxidant extraction. Powdered pineapple leaves were extracted using ethanol as the solvent. Initially, a one-factor-at-a-time approach was conducted to determine appropriate ranges for each extraction variable. Subsequently, Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was employed to optimize the extraction process, using extraction temperature (45, 50, and 55 °C), extraction time (2, 3, and 4 h), and ethanol concentration (75, 85, and 95%) as independent variables. Under the optimized conditions, the maximum flavonoid content reached 5.20 mg rutin equivalents per gram, total polyphenol content was 63.53 mg gallic acid equivalents per gram, and DPPH radical scavenging activity achieved 92.72%. The ethanol extract exhibited a protein concentration of 9.21 μg/μL and a pH value of 5.96. Based on these results, the optimal extraction conditions were determined to be an extraction temperature of 55 °C, an extraction time of 4 h, and an ethanol concentration of 85%.
Biography:
Chair Professor Tsair-Wang Chung received his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Missouri–Columbia, USA, in 1993. He began his professional career as a Research Scientist at the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), Taiwan, in the same year, and was appointed Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering at Chung Yuan Christian University (CYCU), Taiwan, in 1995. Currently, Dr. Chung serves as a principal investigator focusing on the production and application of bioresources and functional biomass materials, bioenergy and sustainability, as well as separation and purification processes. He has authored or co-authored more than 220 scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals and international conference proceedings. His current research interests include sustainable biomass energy materials, mechanical devices for separation processes, and biomass upgrading technologies. Professor Chung has successfully established extensive international collaborations with universities and research institutions in Taiwan, Japan, Indonesia, and other regions, particularly in the fields of sustainable biomass materials, separation equipment, and the biomaterials industrial value chain. He has been recognized as one of the World’s Top 2% Scientists in Chemical Engineering by Stanford University in USA as a lifetime honor, and has received the First-Class Talent Scholar Award from the National Science and Technology Council in Taiwan.