PRODUCTION AND PARTIAL-PURIFICATION OF GAMMA-LINOLENIC ACID AND SOME PIGMENTS FROM SPIRULINA-PLATENSIS

The polyunsaturated fatty acid gamma-linolenic acid (GLA, 18:3 omega6) is of potential pharmaceutical value. The cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis could become an excellent source for this fatty acid, provided that GLA content could be increased and a GLA concentrate could be obtained at a low cost. Increasing the cell concentration in Spirulina platensis enhanced the fatty acid content and thus the GLA content. This effect was used to further enhance the GLA content of GLA-overproducing strains. Separation of the galactolipids and their purification via urea complexes formation, resulted in a GLA concentrate of over 90% purity.