Tisochrysis lutea as a source of omega-3 polar lipids and fucoxanthin: extraction and characterization using green solvents and advanced techniques

The marine microalga Tisochrysis lutea is a potential and sustainable source of bioactive compounds such as carotenoids and omega-3 fatty acids. In the present work, the extraction of fucoxanthin and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), the most abundant omega-3 fatty acid which constitutes polar lipids particularly in the brain, was studied using advanced extraction techniques with green and bio-based solvents compared to traditional extraction techniques with hazardous organic solvents. The experimental design to maximize the lipid extraction yield by ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) was developed, choosing as experimental factors the percentage of solvent (0, 50 and 100