Polar Lipid Profile of Nannochloropsis oculata Determined Using a Variety of Lipid Extraction Procedures

Lipid compositions obtained from microalgae species are affected by both the cultivation conditions and the extraction method used. In this study, the extraction of lipids from Nannochloropsis oculata using traditional and modern extraction technologies with several solvents has been compared. Because important polyunsaturated fatty acids are bound to polar lipids, these polar lipids were the main focus of this study. The dominant compounds in the glycolipid fractions were monogalactosyldiglycerides and digalactosyldiglycerides bearing fatty acid chains containing at least one site of unsaturation. Phosphatidylcholine and trimethylhomoserines were detected in the phospholipid fractions. The fatty acid profile comprised large fractions of C16:0, C16:1, C20:5, and C18:3. Extraction of specific compounds was determined by extraction efficiency as well as differences in the selectivity of the method used. The composition derived from a glycolipid fraction was observed to be affected by the method used to a greater extent than the phospholipid fraction.