Phospholipid Fatty Acid Profile of Spirulina platensis

Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis is used to measure the microbial biomass and the phospholipids present in the environmental samples. Microalgae spirulina is found to be a rich source of very-long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLCPUFAs) and has been used as a neutraceutical and regenerative medicine in the biotechnological industries as PUFAs are not synthesized in the human body due to the lack of enzymes for their bioconversion and must be supplied through the diet. Eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA) are the two most important long-chain omega-3 (ω-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids involved in the human physiology, and their precursors stearic acid (ω-9), linoleic acid (ω-6), and gamma linolenic acid (ω-6) were found to be in higher concentrations in Spirulina platensis. GC or GC-MS is used to analyze the presence of PLFA in the sample. The PLFA analysis was carried to detect the presence of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the Spirulina platensis which are the essential components in the diet of humans. The analysis involves overnight drying of the sample and followed by Bligh-Dyer lipid extraction. The obtained extract is dried and dissolved in chloroform and loaded onto a 96-well solid phase extraction plate. The eluted phospholipids are dried and transesterified. The resulting fatty acid methyl esters are analyzed by GC and quantified relative to an internal standard.