Porphyridium sp. Microalgae as a source of polysaccharides

Abstract

Polysaccharides (Ps) are valuable raw materials for a number of industrial sectors. Obtaining Ps from microalgae is both convenient and environmentally friendly. Red microalgae are potential producers of Ps because many of the representatives of this group produce a large number of exo Ps that perform protective functions for cells. This study compared three members of the Porphyridium genus for their ability to produce exocarbohydrates in response to nutrient medium chemical composition and lighting conditions. The experiments revealed that strain P-293 compared to P-271 and P-519 produced the highest amount of exocarbohydrates (2.25 g/g on average) under nitrogen source deficiency and sodium chloride excess (0.62 and 18.78 g/L, respectively). Under red-white light conditions, strains P-293 and P-519 produce statistically significantly more exocarbohydrates compared to white and blue light. Strain P-271 produces more exocarbohydrates when cultivated with white light illumination.