TITLE:
Effect of Nitrogen Source on Biomass and Lipid Production of a Marine Microalga, Nannochloropsis oceanica IMET1
AUTHORS:
Yongxue Chi, Feng Chen, Yasuyuki Takiguchi
KEYWORDS:
Nannochloropsis oceanica, Nitrogen Source, Lipid Production, Growth Performance, Fatty Acid Composition
JOURNAL NAME:
Green and Sustainable Chemistry,
Vol.5 No.2,
May
28,
2015
ABSTRACT: The effects of the nitrogen sources sodium nitrate (NaNO3) and urea (CH4N2O) on growth, lipid production, and fatty acid composition of Nannochloropsis oceanica IMET1 were investigated. Nitrogen source affected cell density, dry cell weight, and lipid production. Cells grown in the nitrate medium increased dry cell weight and lipid weight in comparison with cells grown in the urea medium. The composition of fatty acids varied with nitrogen sources. IMET1cultured in the nitrate medium mainly contained C18:2 (14.9%) and C16:0 (6.3%) fatty acids, while IMET1 in the urea medium mainly contained C22:0 (33.1%), C18:3 (8.6%), and C16:0 (6.8%). This study demonstrates that nitrogen source can strongly influence lipid production and composition of N. oceanica IMET1.