ABSTRACT
In recent years, wide interest has focused on the production and pharmaceutical applications of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). However, until now, the studies released have been limited to determining the EPA content of microorganisms and the influence of different culture parameters under laboratory conditions, those carried out under outdoor conditions being very scarce. Likewise, much research has been done on the influence of culture parameters on biomass productivity, but always under laboratory conditions and by modifying single parameters. Under outdoor conditions, most published papers refer to the production of Spirulina, Dunaliella and Chlorella in open systems with no control of culture conditions, and very little has been published concerning the outdoor production of such very sensitive strains as Monodus, Porphyridium, Isochrysis or Phaeodactylum, for the production of fine chemicals.
