Extraction and Molybdenum Blue-based Quantification of Total Phosphate and Polyphosphate in Parachlorella

Inorganic phosphorus is a non-renewable resource and an essential element for life on Earth. Organisms such as algae, protists, and animals can store phosphate (Pi) through uptake of Pi as polyphosphate (poly-P), which is a linear polymer of orthophosphate residues linked by high-energy phosphoanhydride bonds. Here, we describe procedures for extraction of total phosphate and poly-P from Parachlorella cells and quantification of orthophosphate based on molybdenum blue assay. The present method may be applicable for other microalgae.