Evaluation of growth and carotenoid production by a green microalga Scenedesmus quadricauda PUMCC 4.1.40. under optimized culture conditions

Abstract

Microalgae are a potential source of a wide range of food and novel value-added products. The versatility of microalgae to produce different kind of pigments is gaining interest as a sustainable source of natural carotenoids. Currently, commercial production of carotenoids from selected microalgae requires special culture conditions which are difficult to maintain. The present study has been undertaken to optimize culture conditions for growth and carotenoid production by a new isolate Scenedesmus quadricauda PUMCC 4.1.40. The results revealed that test organism produced 1.54 mg dry biomass/ml with a content of 40 μg carotenoids/mg dry biomass during stationary phase. The growth and carotenoid production was increased by 2.4-fold under combined optimized culture conditions. The optimized conditions were growth medium, Chu-10; pH 8.5; temperature, 30°C; nitrogen, 20 mM nitrate; phosphate, 0.22 mM; NaCl, 0.42 mM and blue light. Separation and identification of four important carotenoids through high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) followed by purification using flash chromatography and quantification by HPLC revealed 23.8, 19.0, 6.5, and 4.0 μg astaxanthin, β-carotene, lutein, and canthaxanthin /mg dry biomass, respectively. The amount of total carotenoids (98 μg/mg dry biomass) containing 40% valuable astaxanthin and β-carotene produced under optimized conditions was significantly higher than control cultures. This justifies that S. quadricauda is a promising candidate for scale-up production of carotenoid.

Microalgae-Derived Pigments for the Food Industry

“…The microalgae Dunaliella contains β-carotene above 14% DW and has long been recognized as the largest natural source [ 26 ]. Scenedesmus quadricauda produces 19 mg g −1 β-carotene under autotrophic cultivation [ 29 ]. Other microalgae of Cyanobacteria, Chlorophyta, Bacillariophyta, and Euglenophyta also master the capability to produce β-carotene.…”

Anti-Inflammatory and Anticancer Effects of Microalgal Carotenoids

“…[51], Dunaliella salina, Tetraselmis suecica [41], Scenedesmus quadricauda PUMCC 4.1.40. (Chlorophyta) [52], and Asterarcys quadricellulare PUMCC 5.1.1 (Chlorophyta) [53].…”

“…[51], Dunaliella salina [71], Chlorella vulgaris (Chlorophyta) [72], Scenedesmus quadricauda PUMCC 4.1.40. [52], Asterarcys quadricellulare PUMCC 5.1.1 [53], Picochlorum sp. SBL2.…”

Qualitative and Quantitative Studies on Biopigment Producing Algal Regime from Marine Water Resources of Sundarban Region

“…16 Although over 1100 naturally occurring sources of carotenoids include nearly 700 different organisms, canthaxanthin, astaxanthin, lycopene, carotene, and lutein are commercially important because they have antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor properties in addition to serving as a vitamin A precursor. 17 Fucoxanthin, violaxanthin, neoxanthin, α-carotene, β-carotene, and lutein, which are termed provitamin A, can be produced in significant numbers by Spirulina sp., Chlorella sp., Dunaliella sp., and Haematococcus sp. 18 A large photoautotrophic group of unicellular to multicellular marine and freshwater organisms, the phylum Rhodophyta, popularly known as red algae, contains about 7000 species split into seven families.…”