Cell Growth and Carotenoids Production by Moroccan Strain of Dunaliella Salina

The cell growth and carotenoids production were studied in halophilic green algal, Dunaliella salina (Morocco-10) in the Sidi Abed salt lagoon using a batch system in order to determine optimal conditions (salinity, incubation temperature, pH, and cultivation time) for the highest production of carotenoids. The optimum cell growth (8.99 cells*10⁶ ml⁻¹) was obtained in a salinity of 2.25mol l⁻¹ at 30°C and pH 7.5 during 120 h of cultivation time. Maximum carotenoid accumulation (2.71 μg ml⁻¹) was obtained using the same salinity and cultivation time at 37°C and pH 7.5.