| dc.description.abstract | Beta-carotene is a terpenoid pigment that is highly valuable due to its
nutritional benefit as a precursor of vitamin A and its antioxidant properties.
Dunaliella salina and D. bardawil (D. Salina var.bardawil) are well-known
microalgae accumulating high levels of β-carotene under growth-limiting
conditions. Concentration of β-carotene is different between Dunaliella salina
strains. Therefore, the aim of this study was to select Dunaliella salina strains for
highest total carotene among 8 local strains (J, K, M, N, O, P, Q, R) and 2
imported strains (D. Salina CCAP 19118 and D. Salina var.bardawil) which were
cultured in seawater medium MD4 (Tran et al, 2014) with 1.5 M NaCl. Then they
were stressed at 4.0 M NaCl at the stationary phase for carotene accumulation.
Total carotene, chlorophyll, cell density (cell count and optical), lipid signal, total
carbohydrate and antioxidant capacity content were analyzed. The result
obtained revealed that D. bardawil (the imported strain) has the highest
concentration of total carotene per cell, and no local strains provide high
carotene in current culture conditions compared with the imported strains.
Therefore further culture and stress conditions needed to be investigated to
optimize carotene of the local strains for carotene production.
Keywords: Algae, carotene, chlorophyll, cultivation, Dunaliella. | en_US |
