Biotransformation of aromatic aldehydes by five species of marine microalgae

Abstract

The biotransformation of a series of aromatic aldehydes such as benzaldehyde, salicy aldehyde, methoxybenzaldehydes and mono- and dichlorobenzaldehydes by five cultures of photosynthetic microalgae are reported. The microalgae, Chlorella minutissima, Nannochloris atomus, Dunaliella parva, Porphyridium purpureum and Isochrysis galbana, reduced most of the aldehydes to the corresponding primary alcohols. Substituted aromatic aldehydes were reduced with varying selectivity depending on the nature and position of the substituent.