Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Raleigh, North Carolina » Market Quality and Handling Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #297208
Title: Continuous Production of Oils and B-Carotene from Marine Algae

Author
item CLARE, DEBRA - North Carolina State University
item Dean, Lisa
item Reynolds, Rong
item PERETTI, STEVEN - North Carolina State University

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/22/2013
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Algal organisms accumulate ß-carotene and neutral lipids. ß-carotene and other lipid materials can be continuously “milked” from algae cultures in two-phase bioreactors while maintaining viability. This phenomenon was observed up to 7 days. ß-carotene over-expression and oil production from Dunaliella salina may occur in response to irradiance and nitrogen starvation. Therefore, it may be possible to “tune” the oil/ß-carotene ratio over a wide range by manipulating the culturing conditions.

Technical Abstract: High intensity lighting lowered the fatty acid content of D. bardawil and D. salina strains while these levels remained essentially the same in both D. tertiolecta cultures. High light intensity significantly raised the amount of ß-carotene in D. bardawil samples with little impact on the other test strains. The extraction of lipid materials and ß-carotene was achieved using either a stationary or continuous phase algae bioreactor setup. The concentration of fatty acid detected was in the same range (mg/mL). Test membranes appeared to be semi-permeable with low level solvent exchange across the membrane surface. Thus, the survivability of the algal cells was dependent upon the specific algal strain used and the duration of exposure to the extracting solvent (Decane or Dodecane).