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Rapid Quantitative Analysis of Lipids Using a Colorimetric Method in a Microplate Format

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Lipids

Abstract

A colorimetric sulfo-phospho-vanillin (SPV) method was developed for high throughput analysis of total lipids. The developed method uses a reaction mixture that is maintained in a 96-well microplate throughout the entire assay. The new assay provides the following advantages over other methods of lipid measurement: (1) background absorbance can be easily corrected for each well, (2) there is less risk of handling and transferring sulfuric acid contained in reaction mixtures, (3) color develops more consistently providing more accurate measurement of absorbance, and (4) the assay can be used for quantitative measurement of lipids extracted from a wide variety of sources. Unlike other spectrophotometric approaches that use fluorescent dyes, the optimal spectra and reaction conditions for the developed assay do not vary with the sample source. The developed method was used to measure lipids in extracts from four strains of microalgae. No significant difference was found in lipid determination when lipid content was measured using the new method and compared to results obtained using a macro-gravimetric method.

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Abbreviations

SPV:

Sulfo-phospho-vanillin

ATCC:

American type culture collection

UTEX:

The culture collection of algae

ANCOVA:

Analysis of covariance

HSD:

Honestly significant differences

vvm:

Volume per volume per minute

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Acknowledgments

Support for this research was provided by Chevron Technology Ventures and the University of California Energy Institute. The authors wish to thank Orn-u-ma Tanadul for assistance with preparation of algae and assays.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA

    Yu-Shen Cheng, Yi Zheng & Jean S. VanderGheynst

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  1. Yu-Shen Cheng
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  2. Yi Zheng
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  3. Jean S. VanderGheynst
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Correspondence to Jean S. VanderGheynst.

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Cheng, YS., Zheng, Y. & VanderGheynst, J.S. Rapid Quantitative Analysis of Lipids Using a Colorimetric Method in a Microplate Format. Lipids 46, 95–103 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-010-3494-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-010-3494-0

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