Effects of nitrogen source and concentration on growth rate and fatty acid composition of Ellipsoidion sp. (Eustigmatophyta)

Abstract

In order to study the effects of different nitrogen source and concentrationon the growth rate and fatty acid composition, a marine microalga Ellipsoidion sp. with a high content of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) wascultured in media with different nitrogen sources and concentrations.During the pre-logarithmic phase, the alga grew faster with ammoniumas N source than with nitrate, but the reverse applied during thepost-logarithmic phase. The alga grew poorly in N-free mediumor medium with urea as the sole N source. In the same growth phase,ammonium medium resulted in higher yield of total lipid, but the EPA yielddid not differ significantly different from that using nitrate medium. Themaximum growth rate occurred in medium containing 1.28 mmolL-1 sodium nitrate, while maximum EPA and total lipid contents werereached at 1.92 mmol L-1, when EPA accounted for 27.9% totalfatty acids. The growth rate kept stable when NH4Cl ranged from0.64 to 2.56 mmol L-1, and the maximum content of total lipidand EPA occurred in the medium with 2.56 mmol L-1NH4Cl. The EPA content was higher in the pre- thanpost-logarithmic phase, though the total lipid content was lower. Thehighest EPA content expressed as percent total fatty acid was 27.9% innitrate medium and and 39.0% in ammonium medium.