Media optimization using Box Behnken design for enhanced production of biomass, beta-carotene and lipid from Dunaliella salina

Dunaliella salina a halotolerant microalga is well known for a high fatty acid and beta-carotene content, which makes it a potent source at a commercial level. The current study focuses on optimizing commercially known media using Box Behnken design to attain higher yields of biomass, beta-carotene, and lipids simultaneously. The optimal medium conditions as per response surface methodology were glucose, potassium nitrate, sodium chloride at a concentration of 13.23 g/L, 3.145 g/L and 35.6 g/L, respectively while maintaining the concentration of other nutrients unchanged. Maximum yield of biomass, beta-carotene and lipid productivity attained experimentally using the optimized media was 1.24 g/L, 6.07 mg/g and 20.7 mg/L/day, respectively than their original values i.e., 0.571 g/L of biomass, 4.18 mg/g of beta-carotene and 13.2 mg/L/day of lipid content. Biomass yield was increased by 2.17 folds, beta-carotene and lipid were increased by 1.45 folds and 1.56 folds, respectively.