Effects of nitrogen concentration on growth, biomass, and biochemical composition of Desmodesmus communis (E. Hegewald) E. Hegewald

Abstract

Nitrogen, being one of the building blocks of biomacromolecules, is an important nutrient for microalgae growth. Nitrogen availability alters the growth and biochemical composition of microalgae. We investigated the effects of different nitrogen concentrations on specific growth rate (SGR), biomass productivity (BP), total protein and lipid content and amino acid and fatty acid composition of Desmodesmus communis. Nitrogen deficiency increased algal growth and changed the lipid amount and composition. The maximum growth and BP were detected in 75% N-medium. The highest total protein and lipid amount were detected in 50% N- and 75% N-media, respectively. Amino acid and fatty acid compositions of samples varied widely depending on the nutrient concentrations. The amount of unsaturated fatty acid (USFAs) was higher than saturated fatty acid (SFAs) and Linolenic acid percentage is higher than the limit of European standards in all media. The data reported here provide important contributions how nitrogen scarcity and abundance affect the growth and biochemical content of microalgae and this information can further be utilized in culture optimization in studies aimed at microalgae production for biofuels.