Antioxidant properties and Fatty acid profile of Dunaliella salina Microalgae organic extracts

In the present study, DPPH free radical scavenging activity, metal chelating activity, reduction power, total phenolic content, pigments content, and fatty acid profile of Dunaliella salina microalgae were investigated. Solvents of methanol, hexane and chloroform in the algae extract concentrations of 0.01, 0.1, and 1 µg/ml was used. The results showed that the highest scavenging of DPPH free radicals was in the methanol extract, and the minimum value was observed in 0.01 hexane extract (p<0.05). Maximum phenolic contents were found in the concentration of 1 µg of methanol extract and the minimum in 0.01 µg hexane extract. Maximum iron reduction power in methanol and chloroform extracts at a concentration of 1 µg and the minimum concentration of 0.01 μg of hexane extract was measured (p<0.05). The carotenoids and the chlorophyll b have the highest and lowest content, respectively (p<0.05). The study of the fatty acid composition of Dunaliella saline showed that the palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, and alpha-linolenic acid were the highest saturated, monoenoic, and polyunsaturated fatty acids respectively. The results of this study have investigated that the concentration factor had a significant effect on the antioxidant properties of Dunaliella salina algae. The methanol extract had the best efficiency of Donalilla salina microalgae metabolite extraction.