INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF DOCOSAHEXAENOIC ACID (DHA)

DHA is stand for Docosahexaenoic acid. DHA is an omega-3 essential fatty acid.
Chemically, DHA is a carboxylic acid with a 22-carbon chain and six cis double
bonds with the first double bond located at the third carbon from the omega end. DHA
is most often found in fish oil. It is a major fatty acid in sperm and brain
phospholipids, especially in the retina. (Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology,
September 1991)

DHA's structure is a carboxylic acid (-oic acid) with a 22-carbon

chain (docosa- derives from the Ancient Greek for 22) and six (hexa-) cis double
bonds (-en-) with the first double bond located at the third carbon from the omega
end. Its trivial name is cervonic acid, its systematic
name is all-cis-docosa-4,7,10,13,16,19-hexa-enoic acid, and its shorthand name
is 22:6(n−3) in the nomenclature of fatty acids. (World Journal of Microbiology and
Biotechnology, 1996)

A fungi called thraustochytrium sp. from Mid Ocean Ridge was investigated produce
a high percentage of fatty acid and high yield of DHA at optimal growth temperature.
DHA production were pH 7.0 at 25 with 40 g glucose. The production of fungi
increase when temperature increase. (World Journal of Microbiology and
Biotechnology, 1996)

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1.2 PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF PROPYLENE
OXIDE

1.2.1 Physical Properties of Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA)

Table 1.2.1 Physical properties of Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA)

Properties Data
Chemical Formula C22H32O2
Molecular Structure

Molecular Weight 328.496 g/mole

Physical Description liquid
Density 0.943 g/cm3
Boiling Point 446.7°C
Melting Point -44°C
Vapor pressure 43 mmHg at 20°C

Source: Human Metabolome Database (HMDB)

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Usage of Thraustochytrium sp. in production of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)

DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is used for treating type 2 diabetes, coronary artery
disease (CAD), attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).(Arch Dis Child,
2010)

DHA is utilized as a supplement for premature babies and as a fixing in infant

equation amid the initial four months of babies to advance better mental improvement.
This training probably started because DHA is discovered normally in breast milk.(J
Nutr. 2012 Aug)

DHA is for enhancing vision, keeping an eye sickness called age-related macular
degeneration (AMD), avoiding and treating depression, and decreasing aggresive
behaviour in individuals in stressful situations.(Arch Dis Child, 2010)

In our production of DHA, we used a marine fungi called Thraustochytrium sp.

ATCC 20892 produced hhigh yields of DHA, more than four other strains of this
fungi tested, but insignificant amounts of other polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Optimum conditions for growth and DHA production were pH 7.0 at 25°C with 40 g
glucose for 4 days. Temperature under these conditions further enhanced the yield
productivity of DHA (Wourld Journal Of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 1996,
Volume 12, Number 1, Page 76 A .Singh, S.Wilson, O.P.Ward)

Production DHA by this fungi increases as the temperature decreases, leading to the
molecules may be important for growth at low temperature (Appl Environ Microbiol,
Apr 1986).

This fungi was able to produce relatively high yields of DHA when pH 7.0 at
temperature of 25°C (Wourld Journal Of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 1996)

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PROCESS DISCRIPTION

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an omega-3 fatty acid that is a primary structural

component of the human brain, cerebral cortex, skin, and retina. In physiological
literature, it is given the name 22:6(n-3). It can be synthesized from alpha-linolenic
acid or obtained directly from maternal milk (breast milk), fish oil, or algae oil.
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an omega-3 fatty acid that is a primary structural
component of the human brain, cerebral cortex, skin, and retina. In physiological
literature, it is given the name 22:6(n-3). It can be synthesized from alpha-linolenic
acid or obtained directly from maternal milk (breast milk), fish oil, or algae oil.

There are many fungi that can produce DHA by go through almost same process.
For example Mortierella sp. , thraustochytrium sp. , Mortierella sp. And many more.

For this process of producing DHA by using thraustochytrium, yeast and

thraustochytrium sp. is added into the storage to growth the microorganism. The
microorganism is then undergoes fermentation process which glucose is added into it
as carbon source. The fermented product is then pump into the centrifuge there the
fermented product into supernatant and biomass which supernatant is waste water.
The biomass is than pump into the reactor then hexane and methanol is added which
act as solvent extractor. Metal ions such as silver ion, calcium and others is added to
promote synthesis of lipids. The product at the reactor is solvent which consist of
lipids with biomass.

The solvent is then go through filteration process to filterate the biomass with the
miscella products. The miscella is then undergoes centrifugation to separates the
solvent from the lipids. The lipids is then undergoes evaporation to form DHA. The
gas which is evaporated from the solvent is then condensed to be recycled into the
reactor.