Production, extraction and purification of violacein: an antibiotic pigment produced by Chromobacterium violaceum

A procedure for the production, extraction, and purification of violacein w as developed using Chromobacterium violaceum (CCT 3496) cultivated on cotto n, in modified 1 litre Roux bottles. A surface tray bioreactor was built to perform these experiments. Violacein was extracted with commercial ethanol , and purified by filtration, Soxhlet extraction, crystallization and high performance liquid chromatography. The violacein was analysed and identifie d by proton and carbon-13 NMR spectroscopies, thermogravimetric analysis, m ass spectrometry, UV-VIS spectroscopy and infrared spectroscopy. It was con cluded that the product was highly purified violacein.