Physicochemical analysis of cellulose from microalgae <i>Nannochloropsis gaditana</i>

Abstract

Nannochloropsis gaditana is a microalgae belonging to the class of Eustigmatophyceae. This particular microalga is the most studied species. For its richness in lipids, it is used for the biodiesel production. The aim of this work is to advance another important metabolite which is cellulose. This represents 25% of the dry weight of the N. gaditana. A low concentration of NaOH (2%) and sodium hypochlorite (6%) allowed the obtainment of relatively pure cellulose analyzed by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and XRay Diffraction (XRD). The progress of the microalgae mass production could help in the substitution of the cellulose of microalgae for the vegetal cellulose, as seen in the simple technical extraction, the yield and the procurement of uncontaminated molecule with lignin. This substitution will contribute in protecting the environment.

Keywords: Cellulose, Nannochloropsis gaditana, procedure extraction, structural characterization