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Protein, fatty acid, and pigment content of Chlorella vulgaris under different light regimes

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Abstract

The effects of irradiance and photoperiod on growth rates, chlorophyll a, β-carotene, total protein, and fatty acid content of Chlorella vulgaris were determined. The maximum growth rate (1.13 day−1) was at 100 μmol photons m−2 s−1 and 16:8-h light/dark photoperiod. Chlorophyll a and β-carotene contents significantly differed under different light regimes with chlorophyll a content lower at high irradiance and longer light duration, while β-carotene showed the inverse trend. The total protein and fatty acid content also significantly differed in different light regimes; the maximum percentage of protein (46%) was at 100 μmol photons m−2 s−1 and 16:8 h photoperiod, and minimum (33%) was at 37.5 μmol photons m−2 s−1 and 8:16 h photoperiod; the total saturated fatty acids increased, while monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids decreased with increasing irradiance and light duration.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the manager and staff of International Sturgeon Research Institute (Gilan Province) who kindly cooperated with us throughout the study, and Tarbiat Modares University for the financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Marine Biology, Faculty of Natural Resources and Marine Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Noor, Iran

    Jafar Seyfabadi & Zahra Amini Khoeyi

  2. International Sturgeon Research Institute, Gilan, Iran

    Zohreh Ramezanpour

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  1. Jafar Seyfabadi
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  2. Zohreh Ramezanpour
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  3. Zahra Amini Khoeyi
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Correspondence to Jafar Seyfabadi.

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Seyfabadi, J., Ramezanpour, Z. & Amini Khoeyi, Z. Protein, fatty acid, and pigment content of Chlorella vulgaris under different light regimes. J Appl Phycol 23, 721–726 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-010-9569-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-010-9569-8

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