Wageningen University and Research Center

1 ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN JoVE

Environment

Analysis of Fatty Acid Content and Composition in Microalgae

Guido Breuer^1,2, Wendy A. C. Evers^1,2, Jeroen H. de Vree^1,2, Dorinde M. M. Kleinegris^2,3, Dirk E. Martens^1,2, René H. Wijffels^1,2, Packo P. Lamers^1,2

¹Bioprocess Engineering, Wageningen University and Research Center, ²AlgaePARC, Wageningen University and Research Center, ³Food and Biobased Research, Wageningen University and Research Center

A method for the determination of fatty acid content and composition in microalgae based on mechanical cell disruption, solvent based lipid extraction, transesterification, and quantification and identification of fatty acids using gas chromatography is described. A tripentadecanoin internal standard is used to compensate for the possible losses during extraction and incomplete transesterification.