Nutrient Deprivation of <i>Pseudokirchneriella</i> sp. isolated from the Foothills of the Western Himalayas for Sustainable Biofuel and Nutraceutical Production

Third-generation biofuels derived from microalgae are being hailed as potential resources for biofuel production to meet global energy needs. Pseudokirchneriella sp., a green microalga is a well-known bioindicator organism used extensively in ecotoxicological studies. However, its biofuel and nutraceutical potential are unexplored. In this work, Pseudokirchneriella sp. isolated from a freshwater source at the foothills of the Western Himalayas was studied to understand the consequences of different nutrients deprivation of Bold’s Basal media constituents. Sodium chloride deprivation yielded the highest biomass production at 1.33 ± 0.135 g/L, while magnesium sulfate deprivation yielded the lowest biomass at 0.397 ± 0.012 g/L. The lipid content reached its peak during dipotassium hydrogen phosphate deprivation, measuring 30.38 ± 1.04% of dry cell weight. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry studies indicated the presence of fatty acids like stearic acid (C18), linoleic acid (C18:2), alpha-linolenic acid (C18:3), and palmitic acid (C16). The findings indicate that, despite the deprivation of specific nutrients, Pseudokirchneriella sp. produced favorable lipid content along with a desirable fatty acid profile for the intended applications.