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Email the author (Login required) Production of phenolic compounds by four species of marine microalgae under different light conditions
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3856/vol44-issue1-fulltext-14
Abstract
Algae and microalgae produce protective antioxidant compounds in response to damage for stress (UV radiation, temperature variation, excessive light and others). In the present study, the total phenol content in four species of marine microalgae Chaetoceros muelleri (Lemmermann, 1898), Thalassiosira weissflogii (Grunow, 1977), Dunaliella tertiolecta (Butcher, 1959) y Tetraselmis chuii (Butcher, 1959), grown at different illumination rates due to the materials of the containers (carboy of clear glass and carboy of blue plastic), was evaluated under laboratory conditions. The total phenols were quantified by spectrophotometry. Independently of illumination condition, the greatest number of cells was found in D. tertiolecta and C. muelleri (904,000 and 965,000 cells mL-1, respectively). The concentration of total phenols (mg EAG g-1) was different among species, but not among illumination condition. Extracts of D. tertiolecta grown in glass and T. chuii grown in plastic containers, showed the highest content of phenols (1.54 and 1.52 mg EAG g-1, respectively). It was concluded that the production of phenolic compounds were higher in green microalgae, independently of the illumination condition.
