Investigating the effects of pulsed electric field (PEF) on the physicochemical properties and biological activities of chlorophyll aggregates: Mechanistic insights

Chlorophyll in solution is susceptible to intermolecular self-aggregation, thereby limiting its biological activity. This study explores the depolymerization of chlorophyll aggregates in solution using PEF technology to enhance its biological activity. Optimal PEF treatment conditions were identified as an electric field intensity of 16.16 kV/cm, a duration of 39.31 ms, and a temperature of 33.30 °C, resulting in a 10.68 % reduction in aggregate particle size. The photodegradation stability of the treated chlorophyll solution significantly improved, with the photodegradation rate constant decreasing from 0.0064 to 0.0040 min⁻¹, and the half-life period (t_1/2) increasing by 64.99 h compared to the control. Furthermore, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of solution enhanced by 37.76 % and 4.79 %, respectively. Molecular dynamics simulations indicated that PEF treatment strengthened electrostatic interactions among chlorophyll molecules, leading to tighter aggregates. These findings demonstrate the potential of PEF technology for green modification of chlorophyll aggregates, enhancing their physicochemical properties and biological activities.