MICROALGAE AS A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF POLYUNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS AND BIODIESEL
Keywords:
Abstract
Microalgae contain lipid as membrane components, storage products, metabolites and sources of energy. Microalgal lipids have potential application in the production of omega fatty acids and biodiesel. Microalgae synthesize fatty acids from sources of inorganic carbon and also directly from organic carbon sources such as glucose and acetate. The lipids are compounds of glycerol, sugar or base esterified with 12-22 carbon chains, saturated or unsaturated, primarily classified into polar lipids and neutral lipids. Fatty acids comprise the largest fraction of lipids, between 25-60% of the total lipids. Omega fatty acids are essential polyunsaturated fatty acids which cannot be synthesized by humans. They are crucial for healthy development of the fetal brain and help in the prevention of several diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular, inflammation etc. Polar lipids include phospholipids, galactolipids, sphingolipids, steroids and prostaglandins. The neutral lipids are divided into monoacylglycerol, diacylglycerol and triacylglycerol, along with the number of esterifications present in fatty acid chain. Among the neutral lipids, triacylglycerols are targeted for biodiesel production. Biodiesel is a renewable and environmentally friendly diesel replacement capable of meeting the global demand for transport fuels. Microalgae can be produced all year round and therefore the quantity of oil production exceeds the yield obtained from other sources. Composition of algal lipids greatly depends on genetic and phenotypic factors, including environmental and culture conditions. Large amount of algal biomass can be obtained under optimal culture conditions and the lipid content can be enhanced by imposing nutrient and environment stress.References
-
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright Notice
Submission of an article implies that the work described has not been published previously (except in the form of an abstract or as part of a published lecture or academic thesis), that it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere, that its publication is approved by all authors and tacitly or explicitly by the responsible authorities where the work was carried out, and that, if accepted, will not be published elsewhere in the same form, in English or in any other language, without the written consent of the Publisher. The Editors reserve the right to edit or otherwise alter all contributions, but authors will receive proofs for approval before publication.
Copyrights for articles published in World Scholars journals are retained by the authors, with first publication rights granted to the journal. The journal/publisher is not responsible for subsequent uses of the work. It is the author's responsibility to bring an infringement action if so desired by the author.
