Scale-up of Astaxanthin Production from Haematococcus pluvialis

Astaxanthin is a valuable ketocarotenoid with exceptionally strong antioxidant activity, widely applied in nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, aquaculture, and food industries. Among natural sources, Haematococcus pluvialis is regarded as the most efficient producer due to its ability to accumulate high levels of Astaxanthin under stress conditions. This study aims to scale up Astaxanthin production from laboratory to industrial scale to achieve 10 kg of purified product. The process design consisted of six main stages: cultivation, harvesting, pretreatment, extraction, purification, and recovery. Laboratory data were integrated with literature references to construct a reliable industrial-scale model. This research adopts a hybrid approach, in which laboratory experimental data for extraction and purification are integrated with literature-based modelling to construct a reliable industrial-scale process design. Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) was employed, yielding a recovery rate of 57.42%, while purification via column chromatography achieved an efficiency of 85.95%. Mass and energy balances indicated that approximately 405.32 kg of dried microalgae, equivalent to 1,945.35 kg of wet biomass, are required to obtain 10 kg of Astaxanthin. The scale-up process revealed that cultivation, harvesting, and solvent recovery are the most energy-intensive stages, suggesting the need for optimisation of operating conditions and recycling strategies. Despite these challenges, the results demonstrate the technical feasibility of large-scale Astaxanthin production and provide essential data for process design, cost estimation, and sustainability assessment. Overall, this research contributes to bridging laboratory findings with industrial applications and supports future commercialisation of Astaxanthin to meet increasing global demand for high-value natural antioxidants