Bioprospection of green microalgae native to Paraná, Brazil using a multi-criteria analysis: Potential for the production of lipids, proteins, and carotenoids

Microalgae from several ecosystems in the state of Paraná, Brazil, near the Atlantic Forest, were isolated using selected culture media. From 30 isolates, 20 with moderate growth were evaluated for its suitability as industrial strains. A multicriteria analysis was used considering process and composition dimensions: 1) kinetic parameters versus biomass production, 2) one of the kinetic parameters versus biomass composition (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and carotenoids), 3) one of the kinetic parameters versus composition after cellular stress and 4) the self-sedimentation and cellular disruption potential. The strategy was adequate to select 9 microalgae from which two are especially good producers. Selection is essential for assessing the biodiversity in search of new industrial strains, and the multicriteria selection strategy proved to be a sound approach for microalgae selection from culture collections. Parameters such as the efficiency of sedimentation and cell disruption allow potentializing the search for the best strains further.