Microwave-Assisted Extraction of Total Bioactive Saponin From Sapindus Mukorossi: Characterization and Evaluation Of Solubilization Properties

Various industrial processes produce oily wastewater that must be removed before discharge to sewers or surface waters. As a result, researchers have been investigating the use of natural surfactants to solve this problem. Among these surfactants, biosurfactants have received considerable attention due to their eco-friendly and non-toxic properties, making them a desirable substitute for synthetic surfactants. This study specifically aimed to extract and characterize a natural surfactant called saponin from Sapindus mukorossi and study its ability to solubilize naphthalene. New extraction technique, specifically using environmentally friendly microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), have been designed to extract saponins from Sapindus mukorossi. The microwave-assisted green extraction method was found to produce the highest amount of saponins from the source material. The resulting saponin, identified as a bioactive product, underwent purification and characterization by infrared and UV-visible spectroscopy to validate its surfactant properties and verify its qualitative composition. Quantification of saponins was carried out by HPLC and a more detailed examination was carried out by LC-ESI/MS. In this study, we also investigated the micellar solubilization of naphthalene in saponin micelles, focusing on the effects of pH and NaCl. It was observed that the adsorption of naphthalene onto saponin micelle aggregates plays an important role in enhancing solubilization. Saponins are very effective in enhancing the solubilization of naphthalene and have potential applications in the removal of organic pollutants from contaminated soil and wastewater.