Rapid estimation of protein, lipid, and dry weight in microalgae using a portable LED fluorometer

Abstract

a b s t r a c tAs the industry surrounding microalgae continues to develop, there is a growing need for reliable, ready-to-use technologies for measuring the growth and composition of algal cultures. These can be new technologies or adapted existing technologies presently used for similar applications in other systems. Here we demonstrate the use of an LED fluorometer for the rapid estimation of dry weight, protein, and lipid content from two strains of microalgae. The instrument was successfully used to determine the dry weight of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (CC-3491) and Scenedesmus dimorphus (UTEX 1237) cultures, at densities up to 1.58 g/L. Soluble protein was also measured using the instrument, and was highly comparable (average within 3%) to results obtained using both the Bradford and Lowry methods. Lastly, neutral lipid accumulation induced by nitrogen starvation was estimated via BODIPY 495/505 fluorescence. The basic methods developed here can easily be applied to any strain of microalgae or cyanobacteria, and demonstrate reliable, cost-effective, single-instrument methods for the determination of several key parameters in the cultivation of photosynthetic microorganisms.

Comprehensive GCMS and LC-MS/MS Metabolite Profiling of Chlorella vulgaris

“…However, the drugs used are usually expensive and are more effective in the initial therapy. Furthermore, their application is not entirely safe as they may result in several problems such as development of resistance, accumulation of hazardous residues in the fishes [14] and can also lead to water contamination [15]. In this regard, supplementing fish diet with microalgae as a way to enhance fish immunity and resistance to diseases has gained more attention since microalgae do not pose the problems associated with drugs usage in fish treatment [16].…”

Characterization of excitation source LEDs and sensors without filters for measuring fluorescence in fluorescein and green leaf extract

“…Fluorometers are sensitive equipment that can classify biological materials of medical or agricultural importance by their fluorescent characteristics [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. However, it is not easy to access this equipment due to its high cost and it is necessary to utilize them in an economical way starting from the research and characterization of materials obtained locally [5,10,11].…”