Canthaxanthin, astaxanthin and adonixanthin production from a Dactylococcus microalga in a new flat plate airlift photobioreactor

Grama, Borhane Samir [UCL] Delhaye, Antoine [UCL] Chader, Samira [Algerian Centre of Renewable Energy (Centre de Développement des Energies Renouvelables)] Khelifi, Daoudi [Université de Constantine I, Constantine, Algeria] Agathos, Spiros N. [UCL] Jeffryes, Clayton [UCL] et al.

Microalgae are a very attractive and potentially cost-effective production platform for antioxidant production because of their capacity to accumulate high-valued secondary carotenoids in their biomass, simple media requirements and use of solar energy and CO¬2 as primary substrates. Indeed, the development of commercially interesting bioproducts from microalgae, such as β-carotene, astaxanthin and canthaxanthin are already commercially interesting. The carotenogenesis process in algae is induced by various stressors and especially their combinations. Combinations of osmotic stress, nitrogen and phosphorus deficiency and oxidative stress from high light intensities are particularly effective. In the current study we examined the use of these stresses for the induction of canthaxanthin, astaxanthin and adonixanthin production in algal cell cultures at the photobioreactor scale from the perspective of evaluating and exploiting a new species of microalgae for use in a microalgae-based biorefinery.