Exploring the nutraceutical potential of high-altitude freshwater diatom Nitzschia sp. in batch culture

Abstract

The present study was conducted to explore the growth dynamics and nutraceutical potential of the diatom Nitzschia sp. isolated from a freshwater sample collected from Uttarakhand, India, which is a high-altitude environment. This aspect is particularly noteworthy because high-altitude diatoms are subject to unique environmental conditions that can influence their biochemical and metabolic activities and this aspects were rarely studied in diatoms. The highest biomass productivity attained was 0.5 mg mL⁻¹ when the culture was grown for 15 days. The biochemical protein content was measured as 15.7 mg g⁻¹, carbohydrate content as 76.6 mg g⁻¹, and total chlorophyll content was 87.3 mg g⁻¹. Secondary metabolite screening shows the total flavonoid content as 0.63 mg g⁻¹ and tocopherol content as 0.60 mg g⁻¹. The fatty acid profile shows the monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) to be the highest at 56.37%. This study demonstrates the adaptability of diatoms and could offer a helpful vision for future species-specific selection for the mass production of metabolites with potential health benefits, such as fucoxanthin (Fx), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).

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Funding

The Wellcome Trust DBT India Alliance(CRD/2022/000595)