The effects of CO-induced acidification on Tetraselmis biomass production, photophysiology and antioxidant activity: A comparison using batch and continuous culture.

A Tetraselmis sp. was selected for its antioxidant activity owing to its high lipid peroxidation inhibition capacity. With the aim to monitor culture conditions to improve antioxidant activity, effects of CO-induced acidification on Tetraselmis growth, elemental composition, photosynthetic parameters and antioxidant activity were determined. Two pH values were tested (6.5 and 8.5) in batch and continuous cultures in photobioreactors. Acidification enhanced cell growth under both culture methods. However, the microalgae physiological state was healthier at pH 8.5 than at pH 6.5. Indeed, photosynthetic parameters measured with pulse amplitude modulated (PAM) fluorometry showed a decrease in the photosystem II (PSII) efficiency at pH 6.5 in batch culture. Yet, with the exception of the PSII recovering capacity, photosynthetic parameters were similar in continuous culture at both pH. These results suggest that lowering pH through CO-induced acidification may induce a lower conversion of light to chemical energy especially when coupled with N-limitation and/or under un-balanced culture conditions. The highest antioxidant activity was measured in continuous culture at pH 6.5 with an IC of 3.44 ± 0.6 μg mL, which is close to the IC of reference compounds (trolox and α-tocopherol). In addition, the principal component analysis revealed a strong link between the antioxidant activity and the culture method, the photophysiological state and the nitrogen cell quota and C:N ratio of Tetraselmis sp.. These results highlight Tetraselmis sp. as a species of interest for natural antioxidant production and the potential of PAM fluorometry to monitor culture for production of biomass with a high antioxidant activity.