Total Lipids Content, Lipid Class and Fatty Acid Composition of Ten Species of Microalgae
Open accessAbstract
Microalgae is a potential producer of functional lipids such as n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and fucoxanthin. In the present study, lipids from ten microalgae species were analyzed especially focusing on the fucoxanthin, lipid and fatty acid compositions. The study revealed a remarkable variation in total lipids content, fucoxanthin content, lipid class composition and n-3 PUFA content in individual species, although they belong to the same genus. Among microalgae examined, Pavlova lutheri contained the highest total lipids content (313.59 mg g–1 dry weight) and considerable amount of fucoxanthin (3.13 mg g–1 dry weight). It also had the highest level (28.01%) of total n-3 PUFA with high level of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) (17.76%) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (7.61%). The highest fucoxanthin content (5.19 mg g–1 dry weight) was observed in Chaetoceros gracilis. C. gracilis also contained relatively high level of total lipids (228.87 mg g–1 dry weight) and 10.67% EPA. The results also demonstrated that Nannochloropsis oculata contained the greatest amount of EPA (26.21%), while Isochrysis galbana had the highest level of DHA (8.76%). And both microalgae contained 1.71 and 4.44 mg g–1 dry weight fucoxanthin, respectively. Microalgal lipids containing abundant fucoxanthin and n-3 PUFA such as EPA and DHA in the present study will be used as nutraceutical lipids with great commercial potential.
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Nannochloropsis spp. are cultivated primarily for their omega-3 PUFA content, particularly EPA, providing a plant-based alternative to fish oil and supporting heart and brain health.
“Nannochloropsis spp. are cultivated primarily for their omega-3 PUFA content, particularly EPA, providing a plant-based alternative to fish oil and supporting heart and brain health [34].”
From Microalgae Bioactives for Functional Food Innovation and Health Promotion (2025) · cites this paper as [34]
The Abstract reports that Nannochloropsis oculata had the highest EPA content among the species examined. The Introduction presents microalgae as an alternative source to fish oil and links EPA and DHA generally to neural development and cardiovascular health. Neither passage establishes that Nannochloropsis species are cultivated primarily for EPA or demonstrates those health benefits specifically for Nannochloropsis products. (LLM, conf=0.87)
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- Authors
- Yang, Y., Du, L., Hosokawa, M., & Miyashita, K.
- Affiliations
- Qilu University of Technology (CN)
- Shandong University (CN)
- Hokkaido University (JP)
- Venue
- Journal of Oleo Science
- Publisher
- Japan Oil Chemists' Society
- Published
- 2020
- Volume
- 69
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 1181-1189
- ISSN
- 1341-8327 (ISSN-L)
- 1345-8957
- 1347-3352
- OpenAlex
- W3083802388
- Semantic Scholar
- f3827658772536c71edcd0f00b97df77406c00c2
- Cited by
- 54
- References
- 52
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 3
- FWCI
- 0.94
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- Journal of Oleo Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Shandong University (2019-05, 2018WLJH34)
- China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2018M632686)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Energy › Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment › Algal biology and biofuel production
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Fatty Acid Research and Health
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Aquatic Science › Seaweed-derived Bioactive Compounds
- Keywords
- microalgae, total lipids, lipid class composition, fatty acid composition, fucoxanthin, omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, Pavlova lutheri, Chaetoceros gracilis, Nannochloropsis oculata, Isochrysis galbana, functional lipids
- MeSH terms
- Docosahexaenoic Acids, Fatty Acids, Lipids, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Fatty Acids, Omega-3, Xanthophylls, Microalgae
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