Dunaliella salina Teod. as a Prominent Source of Eicosapentaenoic Acid

Abstract

We are providing an additional report on high eicosapentanoeic acid (EPA) accumulation of the extensively studied alga Dunaliella salina Teod. A sample of the freshwater, high-salt tolerant (31%), and carotenizing green alga D. salina (Chlorophyceae) was collected from a salt pan of Bombay (India). It was analyzed for fatty acid content. The presence of 15 fatty acids was revealed, of which 7 were saturated (SFA), 6 were monounsaturated (MUFA), and 2 were polyunsaturated (PUFA) in D. salina. The major finding was the presence of a pharmaceutically and nutraceutically important PUFA: 21.4% of eicosapentanoeic acid. The major fatty acids identified were palmitic (16:0), stearic (18:0), palmitoleic (16:1), oleic (18:1n9c), linoleic (18:2n6c), and eicosapentanoeic acid (20:5n3). The total polyunsaturated content obtained was 24%. Fatty acids were characterized by the relatively high abundance of polyunsaturated acids, while the C20 unsaturated acids were appreciably more abundant than the C18 unsaturated acids. This is the first report on the high-salt tolerance (31%) of the alga D. salina, accumulating 21.4% of EPA.