Abstract
Analysis of bulk biochemical composition is a key in fundamental and applied studies of microalgae and is essential to understanding responses to different cultivation scenarios. Traditional biochemical methods for the quantification of lipids, carbohydrates and proteins are often time-consuming, often involve hazardous reagents, require significant amounts of biomass and are highly dependent on practitioner proficiency. This study presents a rapid and non-destructive method, utilising Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy for the simultaneous determination of lipid, protein and carbohydrate content in microalgal biomass. A simple univariate regression was applied to sets of reference microalgal spectra of known composition and recognised IR peak integrals. A robust single-species model was constructed, with coefficients of determination r(2)>0.95, high predictive accuracy and relative errors below 5%. The applicability of this methodology is demonstrated by monitoring the time-resolved changes in biochemical composition of the marine alga Nannochloropsis sp. grown to nitrogen starvation.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
