1 BioEcotox Research Center, Central Laboratory of Life Sciences (LSIH), Brawijaya University, Indonesia
2 Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, Brawijaya University, Indonesia,
3 Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Brawijaya University, Indonesia.
4 MMS Université du Maine, Le Mans cedex 9, France.
Key words: Valuable microalgae, laboratory, culture, diatoms.
Diatoms are one major group of microalgae in seas and oceans that accounts almost half of primary food production. They have been identified as a promising candidate in biotechnology and in producing a variety of bioactive compounds. Thousand species from hundreds genera are recorded in the world. Their potential applications in pharmaceuticals, biofuels, nutrient supplements and cosmetics have gained attention increasingly. They have important source of natural and bioactive compounds such as fatty acids, lipids and Triacylglycerols (TAGs) that can be used for sustainable production of biofuels, sterols and steroids, oxylipins, isoprenoids. Other benefits in wide area of pharmacognosy, biotechnology and environmental stimulants have been reported by many authors. The secondary metabolite contained in microalgae has been known have role for human health. The main photosynthetic pigments in diatoms are chlorophylls a and c, fucoxanthin, diadinoxanthin and diatoxanthin. One of diatoms, Haslea ostrearia has long been known for producing blue pigment marennine that presents different biological activities. As a part of the GHaNA and the Vasabi projects, BioEcotox Research Center at the Central Laboratory of Life Sciences (LSIH), Brawijaya University is developing culture plant for microalgae. Several species, including diatom from the genus Haslea are on the step of the Laboratory Scale culture. Future development has been programmed for the next ten years.
