Changes in the fatty acid composition of Coscinodiscus eccentricus with culture-age and salinity

The fatty acid composition of the diatom Coscinodiscus eccentricus Ehrenberg, has been examined at six stages in the growth cycle for cells maintained in four different salinity media (20, 25, 30 and 35%) using gas-liquid chromatography. The predominant acids were those containing 16 carbon atoms (45 to 76% of the total); the higher percentages were found at the later growth stages. Several growth/salinity changes in the individual fatty acid compositions are described, and attention is drawn to the changes in the ratio of the 16:0:16:1 7 acids with growth in comparison with that previously published.