Influence of carbon source on growth, biochemical composition and pigmentation of Ankistrodesmus convolutus

The unicellular chlorophyte Ankistrodesmus convolutus Corda was grown in the light using inorganic medium (Bold's Basal Medium, BBM) and BBM enriched with 0.1% w/v of glucose, sodium acetate, sodium citrate or sodium bicarbonate. Glucose supported the highest specific growth rate (µ = 0.93 d-1) and gave the highest biomass (453 mg dry weight L-1) at the time of harvest. Of four glucose concentrations (0.05, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5% w/v), best growth was attained at 0.1% w/v. At 0.5% w/v glucose, the cells had high carbohydrates but low lipids and proteins. The relative amounts of 16:0, 18:0, 18:1 and 18:2 increased at the expense of 18:3(n-3) in the carbon-supplemented cultures and at glucose concentrations higher than 0.1% w/v. Cultures grown on glucose had less chlorophyll and carotenoid contents than cultures grown on other carbon sources. Chlorophyll and carotenoid contents decreased with increasing glucose concentrations in the medium.