Optimization of One-Step In Situ Transesterification Method for Accurate Quantification of EPA in Nannochloropsis gaditana

Tang, Yuting; Zhang, Yue; Rosenberg, Julian N.; Betenbaugh, Michael J.; Wang, Fei

doi:10.3390/app6110343

Open AccessArticle

Optimization of One-Step In Situ Transesterification Method for Accurate Quantification of EPA in Nannochloropsis gaditana

by

Yuting Tang

^1,2,

Yue Zhang

²,

Julian N. Rosenberg

²,

Michael J. Betenbaugh

² and

Fei Wang

^1,*

¹

College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Jiangsu Key Lab of Biomass-based Green Fuels and Chemicals, Nanjing 210037, China

²

Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Appl. Sci. 2016, 6(11), 343; https://doi.org/10.3390/app6110343

Submission received: 27 September 2016 / Revised: 27 October 2016 / Accepted: 3 November 2016 / Published: 8 November 2016

(This article belongs to the Section Chemical and Molecular Sciences)

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Abstract

Microalgae are a valuable source of lipid feedstocks for biodiesel and valuable omega-3 fatty acids. Nannochloropsis gaditana has emerged as a promising producer of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) due to its fast growth rate and high EPA content. In the present study, the fatty acid profile of Nannochloropsis gaditana was found to be naturally high in EPA and devoid of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), thereby providing an opportunity to maximize the efficacy of EPA production. Using an optimized one-step in situ transesterification method (methanol:biomass = 90 mL/g; HCl 5% by vol.; 70 °C; 1.5 h), the maximum fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) yield of Nannochloropsis gaditana cultivated under rich condition was quantified as 10.04% ± 0.08% by weight with EPA-yields as high as 4.02% ± 0.17% based on dry biomass. The total FAME and EPA yields were 1.58- and 1.23-fold higher separately than that obtained using conventional two-step method (solvent system: methanol and chloroform). This one-step in situ method provides a fast and simple method to measure fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) yields and could serve as a promising method to generate eicosapentaenoic acid methyl ester from microalgae.

Keywords: EPA; FAME; one-step in situ transesterification; Nannochloropsis gaditana

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MDPI and ACS Style

Tang, Y.; Zhang, Y.; Rosenberg, J.N.; Betenbaugh, M.J.; Wang, F. Optimization of One-Step In Situ Transesterification Method for Accurate Quantification of EPA in Nannochloropsis gaditana. Appl. Sci. 2016, 6, 343. https://doi.org/10.3390/app6110343

AMA Style

Tang Y, Zhang Y, Rosenberg JN, Betenbaugh MJ, Wang F. Optimization of One-Step In Situ Transesterification Method for Accurate Quantification of EPA in Nannochloropsis gaditana. Applied Sciences. 2016; 6(11):343. https://doi.org/10.3390/app6110343

Chicago/Turabian Style

Tang, Yuting, Yue Zhang, Julian N. Rosenberg, Michael J. Betenbaugh, and Fei Wang. 2016. "Optimization of One-Step In Situ Transesterification Method for Accurate Quantification of EPA in Nannochloropsis gaditana" Applied Sciences 6, no. 11: 343. https://doi.org/10.3390/app6110343

APA Style

Tang, Y., Zhang, Y., Rosenberg, J. N., Betenbaugh, M. J., & Wang, F. (2016). Optimization of One-Step In Situ Transesterification Method for Accurate Quantification of EPA in Nannochloropsis gaditana. Applied Sciences, 6(11), 343. https://doi.org/10.3390/app6110343

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

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Optimization of One-Step In Situ Transesterification Method for Accurate Quantification of EPA in Nannochloropsis gaditana

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