Utilization of lignocellulosic biomass towards the production of omega-3 fatty acids by the heterotrophic marine microalga Crypthecodinium cohnii

Omega-3 fatty acids have become a commodity of high nutritional and commercial value; intensive fishing and its environmental and social cost has led researchers to seeking alternative more sustainable ways of producing them. Heterotrophic microalgae such as Crypthecodinium cohnii, a marine dinoflagellate, have the ability to utilize various substrates and accumulate high amounts of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). In this work, a mild oxidative organosolv pretreatment of beechwood pulps was employed that allowed up to 95% of lignin removal in a single stage, thus yielding a cellulose-rich solid fraction. The enzymatic hydrolysates were evaluated for their ability to support the growth and lipid accumulation of C. cohnii in batch and fed-batch cultures; the results verified the successful microalgae growth, while DHA reached up to 43.5% of the cell’s total lipids. The proposed bioprocess demonstrated the utilization of non-edible biomass towards high added value food supplements in a sustainable and efficient manner.