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Production and bioaccessibility of Emiliania huxleyi biomass and bioactivity of its aqueous and ethanolic extracts

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Abstract

The coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi (Lohmann) W.W. Hay & H.P. Mohler has been receiving ever increasing attention as a result of its bioactivity potential. A strain of E. huxleyi recently isolated from Portuguese coastal waters (NE Atlantic) was cultivated under controlled laboratory conditions and the attained biomass was biochemically characterized (fatty acid (FA) profile, total phenolic and alkenone contents) and its bioactivity measured (antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties). Moreover, bioaccessibility of selected constituents and bioactivities was assessed. A total dry weight of 556 mg L−1 was attained. The biomass was characterized by a large polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) share of the total FA, 60.8 ± 1.8%, followed by saturated fatty acids (SFA), 22.8 ± 1.0%, and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), 15.9 ± 0.7%. Furthermore, an ω3/ω6 ratio of 37 was calculated. The daily amount of freeze-dried E. huxleyi required to meet the EPA + DHA recommended daily intake (RDI) was 19.9 g. As to the phenolic content, both extracts had similar values, reaching 435.5–465.4 mg GAE (100 g dw)−1. Substantial antioxidant activity as measured by DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power), and ABTS (2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) was observed. The levels of anti-inflammatory activity were also substantial, 38 ± 4% and 85 ± 11% of COX-2 inhibition in the aqueous and ethanolic extracts, respectively. Moreover, it was observed that the C37:3, C37:2, and C38:2 alkenones were the most abundant, with values exceeding 500 mg (100 g dw)−1 and total alkenone content was approximately 2,500 mg (100 g dw)−1. The bioaccessibility of studied compounds and bioactivities was always low or even nonexistent/undetected. Therefore, future work should aim at microalgal extraction and processing for achieving higher bioaccessibility levels.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the following postdoctoral grants: Ref.: SFRH/BPD/102689/2014 (“Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia”, FCT) for the author Carlos Cardoso and DIVERSIAQUA (MAR2020, Ref.: 16-02-01-FEAM-66) for the author Cláudia Afonso. A doctoral grant awarded by FCT supported the work performed by Joana Matos (SFRH/BD/129795/2017). Moreover, Bernardo Vicente acknowledges funding from the European Union Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme grant agreement N810139: Project Portugal Twinning for Innovation and Excellence in Marine Science and Earth Observation—PORTWIMS.

Funding

The experimental work was funded by the projects 0055 ALGARED + 5E—INTERREG V-A España-Portugal, AQUAMAX (Ref.: 16–02-01-FMP-0047), WarmWorld (Ref.: PTDC/CTA-GEO/29897/2017), EMSO-PT (Ref.: POCI-01–0145-FEDER-022157), and FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., under project UIDB/04292/2020.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. MARE - Centro de Ciências Do Mar E Do Ambiente, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal

    B. Vicente & A. Amorim

  2. Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 16, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal

    J. Matos & A. Amorim

  3. Division of Aquaculture, Upgrading, and Bioprospection (DivAV), Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA, IP), Avenida Alfredo Magalhães Ramalho, 6, 1495-165, Algés, Portugal

    J. Matos, R. Gomes, M. Sapatinha, Cláudia Afonso, N. M. Bandarra & Carlos Cardoso

  4. CIIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Rua dos Bragas 289, 4050-123, Porto, Portugal

    Cláudia Afonso, N. M. Bandarra & Carlos Cardoso

  5. Division of Marine Geology and Georesources (DivGM), Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA, IP), Avenida Alfredo Magalhães Ramalho, 6, 1495-165, Algés, Portugal

    T. Rodrigues

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  1. B. Vicente
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Vicente, B., Matos, J., Gomes, R. et al. Production and bioaccessibility of Emiliania huxleyi biomass and bioactivity of its aqueous and ethanolic extracts. J Appl Phycol 33, 3719–3729 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-021-02551-8

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