Carotenoids, phenolic compounds and tocopherols contribute to the antioxidative properties of some microalgae species grown on industrial wastewater
Open accessAbstract
This study aimed at investigating the potential of microalgae species grown on industrial waste water as a new source of natural antioxidants. Six microalgae from different classes, including Phaeodactylum sp. (Bacillariophyceae), Nannochloropsis sp. (Eustigmatophyceae), Chlorella sp., Dunaniella sp., and Desmodesmus sp. (Chlorophyta), were screened for their antioxidant properties using different in vitro assays. Natural antioxidants, including pigments, phenolics, and tocopherols, were measured in methanolic extracts of microalgae biomass. Highest and lowest concentrations of pigments, phenolic compounds, and tocopherols were found in Desmodesmus sp. and Phaeodactylum tricornuotom microalgae species, respectively. The results of each assay were correlated to the content of natural antioxidants in microalgae biomass. Phenolic compounds were found as major contributors to the antioxidant activity in all antioxidant tests while carotenoids were found to contribute to the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazil (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, ferrous reduction power (FRAP), and ABTS-radical scavenging capacity activity. Desmodesmus sp. biomass represented a potentially rich source of natural antioxidants, such as carotenoids (lutein), tocopherols, and phenolic compounds when cultivated on industrial waste water as the main nutrient source.
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The use of wastewater as the culture medium for microalgae may reduce the use of commercial fertilizers and at the same time minimize freshwater consumption.
“The use of wastewater as the culture medium for microalgae may reduce the use of commercial fertilizers and at the same time minimize freshwater consumption [95,96,97].”
From Toward the Enhancement of Microalgal Metabolite Production through Microalgae–Bacteria Consortia (2021) · cites this paper as [95]
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- Authors
- Safafar, H., Van Wagenen, J., Møller, P., & Jacobsen, C.
- Affiliations
- Technical University of Denmark (DK)
- Residual Resources Engineering (RRE), DTU Environment, Technical University of Denmark, Miljøvej, Building 113, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
- Kalundborg Municipality, Udviklingsstaben Hareskovvej 14-16, 4400 Kalundborg, Denmark
- Corresponding author
- Safafar, Hamed
- Venue
- Marine Drugs
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Published
- 2015-12-11
- Volume
- 13
- Issue
- 12
- Pages
- 7339-7356
- ISSN
- 1660-3397 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC4699242
- OpenAlex
- W2195219344
- Cited by
- 478
- References
- 52
- Citations by year
- 2026: 31 · 2025: 58 · 2024: 71 · 2023: 64 · 2022: 55 · 2021: 59 · 2020: 52 · 2019: 30 · 2018: 27 · 2017: 22 · 2016: 8
- FWCI
- 5.63
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- dx.doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Marine Drugs (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Technical University of Denmark, DTU Orbit (Technical University of Denmark, DTU) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- Grønt Udviklings- og Demonstrations Program
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Energy › Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment › Algal biology and biofuel production
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Aquatic Science › Seaweed-derived Bioactive Compounds
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Biochemistry › Phytochemicals and Antioxidant Activities
- Keywords
- microalgae, industrial wastewater, natural antioxidants, carotenoids, phenolic compounds, tocopherols, Desmodesmus, Phaeodactylum, Nannochloropsis, Chlorella, lutein, DPPH radical scavenging, FRAP, ABTS radical scavenging, microalgal biomass
- MeSH terms
- Antioxidants, Carotenoids, Phenols, Free Radical Scavengers, Biomass, Tocopherols, Microalgae, Wastewater
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