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NMR techniques for determination of lipid content in microalgal biomass and their use in monitoring the cultivation with biodiesel potential

  • Bioenergy and biofuels
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Abstract

In the present investigation, the application of NMR spectroscopic techniques was extensively used with an objective to explore the biodiesel potential of biomass cultivated on a lab scale using strains of Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus ecornis. The effect of variation in the composition of culturing medium on the neutral and polar lipids productivity, and fatty acid profile of solvent extracts of microalgae biomass was studied. Determination of unsaturated fatty acid composition (C18:N = 1–3, ω3 C20:5, ω3 C22:6), polyunsaturated fatty esters (PUFEs), saturated fatty acids (SFAs), unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs), free fatty acids (FFAs), and iodine value were achieved from a single 1H NMR spectral analysis. The results were validated by 13C NMR and GC-MS analyses. It was demonstrated that newly developed methods based on 1H and 13C NMR techniques are direct, rapid, and convenient for monitoring the microalgae cultivation process for enhancement of lipid productivity and their quality aspects in the solvent extracts of microalgal biomasses without any sample treatment and prior separation compared to other methods. The fatty acid composition of algae extracts was found to be similar to vegetable and fish oils, mostly rich in C16:0, C18:N (N = 0 to 3), and n-3 omega polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). The lipid content, particularly neutral lipids, as well as most of the quality parameters were found to be medium specific by both the strains. The newly developed methods based on NMR and ultrasonic procedure developed for efficient extraction of neutral lipids are cost economic and can be an effective aid for rapid screening of algae strains for modulation of lipid productivity with desired biodiesel quality and value-added products including fatty acid profile.

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Acknowledgments

We sincerely thank the National Institute of Metrology, Standardization and Industrial Quality (INMETRO), RJ, Brazil, for carrying out this research work which is of national importance to Brazil in view of the development of fuels from sustainable resources, and the National Institute of Technology (INT), RJ, Brazil, for collaborating with us in our mission for search for sustainable oil resources for biodiesel, especially the technical assistance of Gustavo Melo Lima. We also express our thanks and gratitude to the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) for grant of fellowship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Metrology, Standardization and Industrial Quality – INMETRO, Avenida Nossa Senhora das Graças 50, Xerém, Duque de Caxias, RJ, Brazil

    Amarjit S. Sarpal, Paulo Roque Martins Silva, Thays Vieira da Costa Monteiro, Júlia Itacolomy da Silva, Valnei Smarcaro da Cunha & Romeu José Daroda

  2. National Institute of Technology (INT), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Cláudia M. L. L. Teixeira

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  1. Amarjit S. Sarpal
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Correspondence to Amarjit S. Sarpal.

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National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) funded this study (385035/2014–4).

Conflict of interest

Amarjit Singh Sarpal declares that he has no conflict of interest.

Cláudia Maria Luz Lapa Teixeira declares that she has no conflict of interest.

Paulo Roque Martins Silva declares that he has no conflict of interest.

Thays Vieira da Costa Monteiro declares that she has no conflict of interest.

Júlia Itacolomy da Silva declares that she has no conflict of interest.

Valnei Smarcaro da Cunha declares that he has no conflict of interest.

Romeu José Daroda declares that he has no conflict of interest.

This article does not contain any studies with human participants performed by any of the authors.

This article does not contain any studies with animals performed by any of the authors.

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Sarpal, A.S., Teixeira, C.M.L.L., Silva, P.R.M. et al. NMR techniques for determination of lipid content in microalgal biomass and their use in monitoring the cultivation with biodiesel potential. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 100, 2471–2485 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-015-7140-x

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