Increasing β-carotene content of phytoplankton Dunaliella salina using different salinity media

Dunaliella salina have got great attention in the nutritional, pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies because contain β-carotene. β-carotene functions as antioxidants and precursors of vitamin A and can treat tumors and cancer in humans. The content of β-carotene in D. salina can be increased by increasing salinity levels in the culture medium. The aim of this study was to determine whether increasing salinity may increas β-carotene content of phytoplankton D. salina . The research use data collection method with direct observation and then analyzed the result with descriptive method. The results showed that different salinity of media can influenced β-carotene content of D. salina . The highest β-carotene content of D. salina was at treatment B (30 ppt) which equal to 2.312 mg/L on 10 th day. The production of β-carotene in D. salina can be increased was other environmental stress treatments in the form of stress-temperature, light and nutrients using.