BIOSORPTION OF Pb2+, Cd2+, & Ni2+ FROM WATERS BY ...

1.5.1. Dunaliella salina
Dunaliella, the unicellular haloterant green alga which is responsible for most
of the primary production in concentrated brines. Dunaliella is characterized by an
ovoid cell volume in the range of 2-8 nm wide x 5-15 µm length, usually in the shape
of pear, wider at the basal side and narrow at the anterior flagella top. Known for its
anti-oxidant activity because of its ability to create large amount of carotenoids. Its
provides the production in the open air for the trans/cis-β-carotene which is more
soluble and has better quality as a free radical scavenger (Banerjee, 2005) and
potential food additive for enhancing the colour of the fish and egg yolk. It is used in
cosmetics and dietary supplements. In such highly saline conditions like salt
evaporation ponds, not many organisms can survive. In such conditions, these living
things protect against the intense light by using high concentrations of β-carotene in
their structures. They have high concentrations of glycerol to protect itself against
osmotic pressure. This characteristics give a chance for biological production of these
substances commercially.
Dunaliella is found in a wide range of marine habitats such as oceans, brine
lakes, salt marshes and salt water ditches near the sea, mainly in water bodies
containing more than 2.0 M salt and a high level of magnesium. However, the
outcome the presence of magnesium on the distribution of Dunaliella is not clear,
Dunaliella generally grows in a large number of ‘bittern’ habitats of marine salt
producers. The appearance of orange-red algal bloom in marine environments is
primarily based on combined sequential growth of Dunaliella firstly, and then
halophilic bacteria, and is usually found in concentrated saline lakes such as the Dead
sea in Israel, the Pink Lake in Western Australia, the Great Salt Lake in Utah, USA. It
has been known that Dunaliella is the most haloterant eukaryotic organism exhibits a
noteworthy extent of adaptation to a variety of salt concentrations, from a salt
saturation as low as 0.1M (Cohen 1999).
For β-carotene production, a first pilot plant for Dunaliella cultivation
founded in the USSR in 1966. From the establishment of plant for Dunaliella, one of
the success in the halophile technology is the commercial production of Dunaliella for
the production of the β-carotene of the globe (Oren 2005). Since, Dunaliella allows to
the possibility for the cultivation of biomass in open ponds.
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