Chlorella Yellow

Widely used as a dietary supplement for humans and aquariums, Chlorella vulgaris, commonly called simply Chlorella, is a species of widely distributed freshwater microalgae. Chlorella is found in many water systems throughout the planet and is an excellent source of protein, as well as antioxidants and flavonoids, contained in its accessory pigments, xanthophylls. Chlorella is high in lutein and chlorophyll and is widely sold to consumers as a nutritional supplement.

Depending on the species, chlorella can be extracted into a range of colors, most commonly yellows and light greens. Like all microalgae, chlorella produces its own color as part of its UV defense and photosynthetic cycle, reflecting the complex mix of xanthophylls and other pigments.

Grow & Observe

I am currently starting my chlorella colony at my home algae farm. I’m excited to add another freshwater species to my farm!

I have also reached out to several sources of industrial chlorella products in the hopes I might be able to source industrial pigments. Spira currently makes a fermented yellow chlorella power and I hope to ferment my own soon!

Extract Pigment

Chlorella is readily available in health food stores, so large quantities are cheap and easy to access. For this reason, I decided to choose chlorella as my first attempt to extract pigments using solvents. I could mess up a lot and not destroy precious source organisms!

Chlorella tends to extract and sap green or yellow color due to its high level of chlorophyll. Successful extraction took several attempts, with some DIY salad spinner centrifuge rigging and many bottles of high-proof moonshine involved.

The extractions were a success, resulting in a bright yellow pigment. Unfortunately, this pigment oxidized quickly and I was unable to use the resulting pigment for paint. I’m currently experimenting with stabilizing agents and preservatives to help mitigate this in the future.