Author(s):

Rajni Chaudhary and JIS Khattar

Abstract: Culture conditions were optimized for lipid production in <em>Asterarcys quadricellulare,</em> an isolate from fresh water of Kedarnath, India. Under N limitation, biomass production decreased by 5% and the amount of lipids increased by 12% over control cultures (29% lipid content). Under continuous illumination and at pH 6.4 of the medium the biomass of the organism increased by 6% and 4%, respectively, while lipid content increased by 8% and 7%, respectively. The fatty acid profile of lipids of the organism under optimized conditions also changed. Under nitrogen limitation saturated fatty acid (SFA) content was 47%, monounsaturated fatty (MUFA) were 26% and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) were 27%; under continuous illumination SFA were 44%, MUFA were 30% and PUFA were 26% compared to control cultures with 40% SFA, 28% MUFA and 32% PUFA. This indicated that fatty acid profile of lipids under optimized conditions was better from biodiesel production point of view.

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