Rapid analytical methods for the microalgal and cyanobacterial biorefinery: application on strains of industrial importance.

Palmer, Joseph S.; Lawton, Linda A.; Kindt, Rocky; Edwards, Christine

Abstract

To realise the potential of microalgae in the biorefinery context, exploitation of multiple products is necessary for profitability and for bioproduct valorisation. Appropriate analytical tools are required for growth optimisation, culture monitoring and quality control purposes, with safe, low-tech and low-cost solutions favourable. Rapid, high-throughput and user-friendly methodologies were devised for a) determination phycobiliproteins, chlorophylls, carotenoids, proteins, carbohydrates and lipids and b) qualitative and quantitative carotenoid profiling using UPLC-PDA-MSE. The complimentary methods were applied on 11 commercially important microalgal strains including Prasinophytes, Haptophytes and cyanobacteria, highlighting the suitability of some strains for coproduct exploitation and the methods utility for research and industrial biotechnology applications. The UPLC method allowed separation of 41 different carotenoid compounds in < 15 minutes. Simple techniques are described for further quantification and comparison of pigment profiles, allowing for easy strain selection and optimisation for pigment production, with suitability for biotechnological or biomedical applications.

Citation

PALMER, J.S., LAWTON, L.A., KINDT, R. and EDWARDS, C. 2021. Rapid analytical methods for the microalgal and cyanobacterial biorefinery: application on strains of industrial importance. MicrobiologyOpen [online], 10(1), article number e1156. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1002/mbo3.1156

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 18, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Feb 28, 2021
• Publication Date: Jan 31, 2021
• Deposit Date: Jan 26, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 8, 2021
• Journal: MicrobiologyOpen
• Electronic ISSN: 2045-8827
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 10
• Issue: 1
• Article Number: e1156
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/mbo3.1156
• Keywords: Microalgae; Cyanobacteria; Biorefinery; Biochemical analysis; Carotenoids; Liquid chromatography; Mass spectrometry; Phycobiliproteins
• Public URL: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/973303