Jelan Mofeed EFFECTS OF SALINITY AND L IGHT INTENSITY ON PRODUCTION OF ß- CAROTENE AND GLYCEROL FROM THE HALOTOLERANT ALGA DUNALIELLA SALINA (CHLOROPHYTA) ISOLATED FROM ZAR ANIK NATURE

The halotolerant green alga Dunaliella salina (isolate SEA003) recently isolated from salt march at Zaranik nature reserve, North Sinai , (Egypt) was cultivated in the arti ficial seawater medium (ASW) with di fferent sal ini ty levels (0.5, 1, 2, 3, and 4 M), under continuous i llumination of two dif ferent li ght intensities: 50 and 200 μmol m 2s , during 30 day of incubation. The maximum growth density as number of cell was recorded in media contained 2M NaCl under the high li ght intensity, while Chlorophyll a giving its maximum values at 1 M salinity under high l ight intensity. Anent values of β carotene produced by Dunalie lla salina revealed that, 2 M salinity had the superiori ty in enhancing β carotene production during the 30 days of this study, especial ly under high light intensity. In contrast with β carotene product ivity, Dunalie lla sa lina gave i ts maximum glycerol values at the high sal ini ty (4M). This result revealed that, the algal productivit y can be control led, as wel l as directed to produce a particular substance (such as carotene and glycerol) on a wide scale by controll ing the growth conditions. Adjusting sal ini ty and li ght intensity is li kely the best strategies to achieve optimal β-carotene or glycerol production in mass cul tures.