Interactive effects of salinity variation and nitrogen deficiency on fatty acids composition in Nannochloropsis
Ahmad, M.; Plischke, D.; Zuanovic, P.; Zoric, Z. (2025). Interactive effects of salinity variation and nitrogen deficiency on fatty acids composition in Nannochloropsis. J. Appl. Phycol. 37: 3487–3499. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10811-025-03624-8
Fatty acids are considered strong competors of fossil fuels, however the high cost of biofuels because of their insufficient yield remains a key challenge. Despite comprehensive investigations over the past twenty years identifying various stress conditions to enhance fatty acid biosynthesis, the targeted yields have not yet been realized. Nannochloropsis sp. is a promising candidate for biofuel applications as it is widely recognized for its high lipid content and robust adaptability. This study is in addition to the ongoing efforts to investigates the interactive effects of various stress conditions (salinity variation and nitrogen deficiency, in our case) on the fatty acid composition in Nannochloropsis, aiming to elucidate how these environmental stressors can be manipulated to optimize lipid production for biofuel applications. The results indicate that microalgal growth was highest at 35 psu, while lower (15 and 25 psu) and higher (45 psu) salinities imposed osmotic stress and reduced growth rates. Nitrogen depletion significantly altered the fatty acid composition and reduced the growth rate. It increased the total lipids and enhanced the accumulation of saturated (SFAs), monounsaturated (MUFAs), and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), particularly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Notably, SFAs increased by 6.92%, MUFAs by 20.24%, PUFAs by 106%, and EPA by 91.6% under nitrogen stress. The additive effects of lower salinities (15 and 25 psu) further enhanced the accumulation of SFAs, MUFAs, PUFAs, and EPA, whereas higher salinity (45 psu) generally reduced or had no significant effect on these fatty acids. These findings highlight the potential for optimizing lipid production in Nannochloropsis through controlled salinity and nitrogen conditions, thus contributing to the advancement of cost-effective biofuel production.
All data in the Integrated Marine Information System (IMIS) is subject to the VLIZ privacy policy
