Rapid method for the assessment of cell lysis in microalgae cultures

A solid understanding of the effect of hydrodynamic forces encountered by microalgae in bioprocesses would benefit existing bioprocesses, eventually allowing an increase in their productivity. For this purpose, a sensitive method able to quantify cell lysis is crucial. Most of the available protocols and methods intended for this purpose were developed for animal or insect cells. In the case of microalgae, the commercial kits tested were unable to determine the cell lysis extension. The method proposed here was developed to relate the release of a cytoplasmic component (enzyme lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)) with cell lysis by measuring the NADH (reduced form of nicotinamide cofactor adenine dinucleotide) produced by LDH. Although different commercial kits based on similar processes are available, they are more complicated to use and not applicable to microalgae nor when longer-term tests are to be performed.