Culture and Biofuel Producing Competence of Microalgae Dunaliella salina

In the present study halophilic microalgae Dunaliella salina obtained from Sambhar Lake, Rajasthan was cultured under controlled laboratory conditions. The biomass recovered at the end of the exponential phase was 1.25g/l dry wt. and the oil was about 22.4 % of the biomass. The oil recovered was converted into biodiesel by acid-catalyzed transesterification and the yield was 60.18%. Some specific types of Fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) formed were identified by GC/MS analysis. A considerable amount is accounted for four fatty acids palmitic acid (19.6%), oleic acid (25.6%), linolenic acid (27.0%) and linoleic acid (18.4%) The presence of these major fatty acids in the microalgal lipid and their transesterification gives the lipid the characteristic properties to be used for biodiesel.