Abstract

• In this study, the blue green alga Spirulina platensis was obtained from Aquaculture Section, Research and Development Station, Central Arava in 2016. Phycocyanin, one of the phycobiliproteins, was extracted from blue green algae Spirulina platensis, followed by the isolation, and characterization of its purity grade. The phycocyanin was extracted by using SCIENTZ-10N Benchtop Freeze - Drying Lyophilizer (-20 ᵒC) and characterized by SDS PAGE analysis methods. The results showed that the purity level of crude extract is 0.94, 50% ammonium sulphate resulted in purity of 2.10, whereas dialysis tubing was 2.41. In this condition, the phycocyanin with a purity of 3.24 was obtained based on SDS PAGE analysis. It would be concluded that using low temperature extraction method with PBS buffer (pH-6.5, 0.1M) can help to get the better purity with degraded less phycocyanin molecule, because freezing temperature disrupted completely cell membrane of Spirulina platensis.