Accumulation of Antioxidant Vitamins in Dunaliella salina

Dunaliella salina a AŽÂ²-carotene accumulating halotolerant algae has been analyzed for theeffect of various growth conditions on its antioxidant vitamin contents AŽÂ²-carotene,tocopherol and ascorbic acid. Vitamin contents of Dunaliella salina grown in culturecontained sufficient nitrogen (70 ppm N ) and NaCl ( 10 %) under optimum light intensity200 W were 1.78, 0.7 and 0.25 %, respectively. Increasing salt concentration (NaCl ) to30 % and high light intensity (400 W ) increased vitamins content to 6.43, 0.45 and 0.95%, respectively. The maximam accumulation of antioxidant vitamins occurred in Dunaliellasalina was observed when the cells grown under combined stress conditions high NaClconcentration, high light intensity with nitrogen deficiency (5 ppm ). AŽÂ² - carotene, vitaminE and vitamin C percentages were 13.14, 1.23 and 2.5 %, respectively. These valuesrepresented 738,1751 and 1000 %, respectively when compared with values of Dunaliellasalina grown under optimum conditions (70 ppm N, 10 % NaCl and light intensity 200 W). The results showed that Dunaliella salina could be a potential for mass production ofantioxidant vitamins.