Methods in Molecular Biology (2020) 1980: 203–214
DOI 10.1007/7651_2017_107
© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2017
Published online: 05 December 2017
Total Fatty Acid Content Determination of Whole Microalgal
Biomass Using In Situ Transesterification
S. Van Wychen and L.M.L. Laurens
Abstract
The aliphatic chains of fatty acids are the most prominent and potentially the highest value precursor
constituents of algal biomass, and thus accurately quantifying the algal biomass total fatty acid content is a
prerequisite for comparing algal strains, growth conditions, and processes. Direct, acid-catalyzed transesterification of whole microalgal biomass is a simple, effective, and widely used method to determine the
fatty acid content in whole algal biomass. Such a direct transesterification procedure typically covers the
following steps: first, solubilizing the lipids in the biomass matrix and then liberating the fatty acids to make
these available for catalytic upgrading to fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs), subsequent extraction into
hexane, and then quantification by gas chromatography. The method we describe here requires less than
10 mg of biomass per sample and is considered high-throughput and highly accurate.
Keywords Fatty acid methyl ester, Fatty acids, In situ transesterification
1 Introduction
Some of the major challenges associated with algae as a biofuel/
bioproduct feedstock are characterization of the biomass and the
development of novel, cost-competitive conversion technologies
that emphasize the valorization of the entire biomass and thus
increase the value proposition of algal biofuels [1, 2]. The aliphatic
chains of the fatty acids are perhaps the most auspicious constituents of algal biomass for both fuel and high-value products (e.g.,
polyunsaturated fatty acids as nutraceutical supplements), and thus
quantifying the respective biomass fatty acid content is imperative
for comparing algal strains, growth conditions, extraction, and
processing yields. There is a growing emphasis on whole biomass
conversion for direct access to the lipid fraction, and thus a rapid,
high-throughput analytical methodology for fatty acid quantification is desirable. The application of a whole biomass, direct, in situ
transesterification method is discussed in detail here.
In the current and historical literature, wide ranges of methodologies are reported for determining lipid content and extraction
yields. The definition of lipids as compounds soluble in organic
solvents has been the basis for the quantification of the total lipid
203
DOI 10.1007/7651_2017_107
© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2017
Published online: 05 December 2017
Total Fatty Acid Content Determination of Whole Microalgal
Biomass Using In Situ Transesterification
S. Van Wychen and L.M.L. Laurens
Abstract
The aliphatic chains of fatty acids are the most prominent and potentially the highest value precursor
constituents of algal biomass, and thus accurately quantifying the algal biomass total fatty acid content is a
prerequisite for comparing algal strains, growth conditions, and processes. Direct, acid-catalyzed transesterification of whole microalgal biomass is a simple, effective, and widely used method to determine the
fatty acid content in whole algal biomass. Such a direct transesterification procedure typically covers the
following steps: first, solubilizing the lipids in the biomass matrix and then liberating the fatty acids to make
these available for catalytic upgrading to fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs), subsequent extraction into
hexane, and then quantification by gas chromatography. The method we describe here requires less than
10 mg of biomass per sample and is considered high-throughput and highly accurate.
Keywords Fatty acid methyl ester, Fatty acids, In situ transesterification
1 Introduction
Some of the major challenges associated with algae as a biofuel/
bioproduct feedstock are characterization of the biomass and the
development of novel, cost-competitive conversion technologies
that emphasize the valorization of the entire biomass and thus
increase the value proposition of algal biofuels [1, 2]. The aliphatic
chains of the fatty acids are perhaps the most auspicious constituents of algal biomass for both fuel and high-value products (e.g.,
polyunsaturated fatty acids as nutraceutical supplements), and thus
quantifying the respective biomass fatty acid content is imperative
for comparing algal strains, growth conditions, extraction, and
processing yields. There is a growing emphasis on whole biomass
conversion for direct access to the lipid fraction, and thus a rapid,
high-throughput analytical methodology for fatty acid quantification is desirable. The application of a whole biomass, direct, in situ
transesterification method is discussed in detail here.
In the current and historical literature, wide ranges of methodologies are reported for determining lipid content and extraction
yields. The definition of lipids as compounds soluble in organic
solvents has been the basis for the quantification of the total lipid
203