Butea frondosa flower dye extraction optimization through Taguchi design

In the past few decades, there is increasing trend to use products from natural resources. Dyes obtained from natural sources are among such products. The present research mainly focuses on optimization of extraction conditions during a natural dye extraction from the flower petals of a tree ‘Flame of Forest’. Taguchi technique was employed for optimization of the parameters namely raw dyestuff particle size, solid-liquid ratio, time of extraction and method of extraction assistance. The results indicated that 150 micron particle size, 1:20 solid-solvent ratio, two hours for extraction and enzyme addition as assistance for extraction were the optimum conditions for extraction. The optimum and control extractions were compared for their absorbance values and the subsequent dye yields. The respective absorbance values were 1.144 and 1.036. It was encouraging to observe 10.58 yield increment in the extraction with optimized parameters.