The Production Potential of Eicosapentaenoic and Arachidonic Acids by the Red Alga Porphyridium cruentum

The red microa lga Porphyridium cruentum i s a n e w source for e i c o s a p e n t a n o i c acid ( E P A ) and arachidonic acid (AA) fatty ac ids o f po tent ia l p h a r m a c e u t i c a l value . The cond i t i ons l ead ing to a h igh conten t o f e i ther fat ty acid w e r e inves t igated . The h i g h e s t EPA c o n t e n t w a s obta ined under c o n d i t i o n s resu l t ing in high growth rate (2.4% o f a sh free dry w e i g h t in Strain 1380-1d). High AA c o n t e n t w a s o b t a i n e d under s l o w growth c o n d i t i o n s and w a s m a x i m a l in the s ta t ionary p h a s e or under n i t rogen s tarvat ion (2.9%). Strain 1380-1a had the h i g h e s t c o n t e n t (1.9%) o f arachidonic acid under e x p o n e n t i a l growth condi t ions . By imposing n i t rogen s tarvat ion, it w a s p o s s i b l e to obta in a l ipid mix ture w h i c h m a y be s e p a r a t e d into AA and EPA rich fract ions .