Fae Neto, Wladimir Angelino, Borges Mendes, Carlos Rafael, and Abreu, Paulo Cesar (2018) Carotenoid production by the marine microalgae Nannochloropsis oculata in different low-cost culture media. Aquaculture Research, 49 (7). pp. 2527-2535.

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Abstract

Nannochloropsis oculata (Eustigmatophyceae) is a marine microalga of great biotechnological interest, mainly due to its large production of lipids containing polyunsaturated fatty acids. In addition, this species presents a wide range of commercial interest pigments, such as zeaxanthin, beta-carotene, and other xanthophylls, with potential for several industrial applications. However, most of the research concerning pigment production by N. oculata has been conducted by employing high-cost laboratorial growth media, which makes large-scale pigment production using these microalgae impractical. Considering the high interest and commercial value in microalgae pigments, this study investigates the feasibility of producing pigments by N. oculata using five different low-cost growth media (fertilizers and aquaculture effluents). Nutrient (ammonia, nitrite and phosphate) concentrations, cell abundance, biomass, and the concentration/composition of pigments were measured. The pigment profile of N. oculata showed chlorophyll-a as the dominant pigment, along with violaxanthin, vaucheraxanthin, and lower concentrations of antheraxanthin, zeaxanthin and beta-carotene. Although the highest biomass (516.4 ± 76.71 mg/L) and pigment content (0.98 mg/g) were achieved in the laboratory media (f/2), the low-cost media (containing ammonium sulfate, calcium superphosphate and urea) revealed a great potential for the production of pigments, specially chlorophyll-a, violaxanthin and zeaxanthin, due to the high pigment content per unit of biomass.

Item ID:	89281
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	1365-2109
Copyright Information:	© 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Date Deposited:	21 Oct 2025 21:48
FoR Codes:	31 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 3108 Plant biology > 310801 Phycology (incl. marine grasses) @ 60% 30 AGRICULTURAL, VETERINARY AND FOOD SCIENCES > 3005 Fisheries sciences > 300501 Aquaculture @ 30% 41 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES > 4103 Environmental biotechnology > 410303 Bioremediation @ 10%
SEO Codes:	10 ANIMAL PRODUCTION AND ANIMAL PRIMARY PRODUCTS > 1002 Fisheries - aquaculture > 100299 Fisheries - aquaculture not elsewhere classified @ 100%
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