The effect of different light spectra on beta-carotene production by Dunaliella salina

Abstract

This study focused on the effect of different light intensities and spectra on the beta-carotene production within Dunaliella salina cells (green eukaryote microalgae) which are purified from Urmia Lake in the northwest of Iran. For this purpose, four LED light spectra (white light: 360–760 nm, red light: 620–645 nm, yellow light: 587–595 nm, blue light: 460–475 nm) were used in this experimental research. The light intensity of 200 µmol/(m2 s) was considered for each the LED light spectra. The highest beta-carotene content extracted under a sequential combination of colored light (white, blue, red and yellow respectively) was 16.93 µg of beta-carotene per mg of cell dry weight and the highest accumulated beta-carotene within the cells among single-colored light was 15.16 µg /mg when the cells were cultivated under yellow light.