Enzymatic hydrolysis of microalgal oil to obtain polyunsaturated fatty acids

• Grant number: 17/04763-0
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): June 01, 2017
• Effective date (End): May 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Patricia Caroline Molgero da Rós
• Grantee: Talitha Kuhn Menezes
• Home Institution: Escola de Engenharia de Lorena (EEL). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Lorena , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFAs), especially omega 3 (w3) and omega 6 (w6) are classified as "essentials" since they are not produced by the organism, thereby must by consumed in the diet. Other polyunsaturated acids of fundamental importance to the organism are synthesized from PUFAs, such as Arachidonic Acid (AA), Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA), Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA). These fatty acids have countless important physiological functions besides of being excellent in prevention a number of diseases. Therefore, this work aim to produce essential fatty acids (w3 and w6) from microbial oil (extracted from microalgae) via enzymatic hydrolysis. The enzymatic hydrolysis of microbial oil is a process not yet elucidated, its technological domain may permit the production of fatty acids with high value added and low energy consumption. The aspects that will be approached varies from microalgae cultivation, microbial oil extraction, to evaluation of the oil extracted from the microalgae as substratum in the hydrolysis reaction. A study of the effect of variables of the hydrolysis process will be done, looking to determine the best combination to obtain the greatest amount of free fatty acids (FFA). A factorial design matrix composed of face centered 22 will be employed to simultaneously study the influence of concentration of Biocatalyst (2, 6 and 10%) and the quantity of emulsifying agent (1, 2 and 3%) in the percentage of enzymatic hydrolysis of microbial oil. This project will contribute to the creation of a new technology: substitute PUFAs obtained from oil sources and fishes to essential fatty acids produced from microalgae.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MOLGERO DA ROS, PATRICIA CAROLINE; MENEZES, TALITHA KUHN; BREDDA, EDUARDO HENRIQUE; SILVA, MESSIAS BORGES; DE CASTRO, HEIZIR FERREIRA. Microalgae as a Feedstock for Sustainable Fatty Acids: Factorial Design Study. CHEMICAL ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY, SEP 2019. Web of Science Citations: 0.