Abstract
Tropical microalgae and cyanobacteria have natural potential virtues that can be used in a wide range of bioproducts. Indeed, they represent a large biodiversity and benefit from favorable environmental conditions. In this context, 27 isolated marine tropical strains have been studied for their total lipid content, lipid class’s distribution and fatty acids composition. Their potential use for applications in the field of biodiesel and nutritional products has been evaluated by the determination of various parameters estimated in relation to the carbon chain size and the amount and/or position of double bonds in fatty acids (as example, the cetane number, the iodine value, the polyunsaturated/saturated acids ratio, the omega 6 and 3 ratio (n6/n3)). The dinoflagellates Prorocentrum lima and Amphidinium massartii, and the cyanobacteria Leptolyngbya sp. RS01 have good characteristics for biodiesel production whereas Spirulina sp. has a good profile of fatty acids for nutritional application.
Highlights
Our current society is confronted with major challenges concerning the environment, the energy and the access to the food and water[1]
Cyanobacteria samples were subdivided into three subsamples: one part of the sample was preserved with formaldehyde (4%) for later microscopic analysis; a second part was stored in ethanol for DNA analysis, and a third part was prepared for culture filing some filaments in agar plate and in liquid medium
27 tropical microalgae and cyanobacteria strains were characterized in terms of their total lipid content, lipid class distribution and fatty acid composition
Summary
Our current society is confronted with major challenges concerning the environment, the energy and the access to the food and water[1]. As major part of the phytoplankton, microalgae are essential for the global food chain and the marine ecosystem. Phytoplancton is responsible for the half of the primary production on Earth[2], it plays an important role in CO2 sequestration and it may participate for reducing contaminants as microalgae can rapidly adapt to polluted environments[3-5]. In addition to these ecological benefits, microalgae are considered as one of the most promising feedstock for biofuels and chemicals because they generate valued bio-products like pigments, antioxidants and lipids[6-8]
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