DISRUPTION OF Nannochloropsis gaditana (EUSTIGMATOPHYCEAE) RIGID CELL WALL BY NON-THERMAL PLASMA PRIOR TO LIPID EXTRACTION AND ITS EFFECT ON FATTY ACID COMPOSITION

Abstract This study assessed the effect of non-thermal plasma (NTP) on Nannochloropsis gaditana cell rupture and subsequent lipid extraction. Micrograph images showed that the surface of original N. gaditana cells appeared smooth and had no apparent holes, whereas after NTP the cells showed a non-uniform apparently fractured surface with many pores and large splits. Maximum lipid recovery from N. gaditana cells (~19%) for NTP-assisted rupture was observed at 10 min, similar to extraction after 10 min sonication (19.0%). The lipid recovery after both pretreatments (average 19.0%) was 2-fold hig...