A method for the determination of fatty acid content and composition in microalgae based on mechanical cell disruption, solvent based lipid extraction, transesterification, and quantification and identification of fatty acids using gas chromatography is described. A tripentadecanoin internal standard is used to compensate for the possible losses during extraction and incomplete transesterification.
Breuer, G., Evers, W. A. C., de Vree, J. H., Kleinegris, D. M. M., Martens, D. E., Wijffels, R. H., Lamers, P. P. Analysis of Fatty Acid Content and Composition in Microalgae. J. Vis. Exp. (80), e50628, doi:10.3791/50628 (2013).