Chlorophyll and Carotenoid Content of Dunaliella salina at Various Salinity Stress and Harvesting Time

The Green halophylic species microalgae Dunaliella salina normally lives in hypersaline waters. The pigments of this algae (chlorophyll and carotenoids) have potential as nutraceutical products because of their bioactivity as natural antioxidants. This study was aimed to determine the effect of salinity stress and harvesting time on the production of chlorophyll (a and b), and carotenoids. Dunaliella salina was cultured on a laboratory scale at various levels of salinity, namely 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 ‰ respectively. Pigment were harvested 3 times, namely during peak of logarithmic growth (P0), 24 hrs after peak (P1), and 48 hrs after peak (P2). The culture media was enriched with Walne's solution, at pH 7 under 35 µmol quata. m^-2.s^-1 light intensity continuously at room temperature. The results showed that D. salina grew at given salinity. The highest and lowest growth was achieved at salinity 30 ‰ and 40 ‰, respectively. The highest chlorophyll a and b production was achieved at salinity 20 ‰ and at harvesting time the day after peak growth, while the highest production of carotenoid was obtained at salinity 25 ‰ harvested 48 hrs after the peak of growth. In conclusion, salinity stress was effective to increase chlorophyll and carotenoid production of D. salina.