Survival, proximate composition, and proteolytic activity of Artemia salina bioencapsulated with different algal monocultures
Abstract
This study focused on testing Artemia sp.
zooplankton saturation with freshwater microalgae biomass
and then using this method to correct the nutritional
composition of Artemia. Accordingly, the influence of three
species of microalgal monocultures was analyzed (2
freshwater – Desmodesmus armatus (Chod.) Hegew. and
Chlorella vulgaris Veijerinck; one halophilous – Dunaliella
viridis Teodor.). The algal monocultures were applied once in
a quantity of 2-3 × 106 cells × l-1 for each 200,000 Artemia
individuals hatched. The control group Artemia did not
receive algae. The enrichment process lasted 24 h, and control
measurements were performed every 6 h. The survival of
Artemia nauplii, their proteolytic activity, and the content of
proteins, lipids, and carotenoids were analyzed. The choice of
algae species for Artemia enrichment was guided by the size of
the algal cells and their biochemical composition. Selected
algae contained about 50% protein, 20% lipid, and 12 mg of
carotenoids per g of dry weight. Using algae to saturate the
Artemia nauplii permitted reducing their mortality during the
24 h enrichment regime. The introduction of C. vulgaris
biomass halved this value. The use of algae also increased the
proteolytic activity in Artemia nauplii and the content of
proteins, lipids, and carotenoids in their biomass. The best
results of the bioencapsulation of Artemia nauplii with algae
was with the C. vulgaris biomass.