Enhancing production of fucoxanthin by the optimization of culture media of the microalga Tisochrysis lutea

Fucoxanthin is a bioactive carotenoid, found in algal species. The marine microalga Tisochrysis lutea is an interesting source of nutrients and valuable compounds like fucoxanthin. In the present work, the response surface methodology was applied to optimize the culture media in order to achieve high level of fucoxanthin from the T. lutea cultivated in 1-L batch photo-bioreactors. The relationship between fucoxanthin production and the culture medium parameters was fitted with a second-order polynomial equation using a multiple regression technique from the experimental results of the response surface methodology. The optimum composition required to obtain the highest amount of fucoxanthin was determined as follows: salinity, 36.27 g L−1; carbon source (starch), 3.90 g L−1; nitrogen source (nitrate), 0.162 g L−1. Optimum conditions significantly enhance the production of fucoxanthin (79.40 ± 0.95 mg g−1 dry weight) and decrease the period of cultivation from 14 days (in non-optimized conditions) to 4 days.