The Effect of Growth Environment and Salinity on Lipid Production and Composition of Salicornia virginica

Finding a viable and sustainable source of renewable energy is a global task. Biofuels as a renewable energy source can potentially be a viable option for sustaining long-term energy needs. Biodiesel from halophytes shows great promise due to their ability to serve not only as a fuel source, but a food source as well. Halophytes are one of the few biomass plant species that can tolerate a wide range of saline conditions. We investigate the feasibility of using the halophyte, Salicornia virginica as a biofuel source by conducting a series of experiments utilizing various growth and salinity conditions. The goal is to determine if the saline content of Salicornia virginica in our indoor growth vs outdoor growth conditions has an influence on lipid recovery and total biomass composition. We focused on using standard lipid extraction protocols and characterization methods to evaluate twelve Salicornia virginica samples under six saline values ranging from freshwater to seawater and two growth conditions. The overall goal is to develop an optimal lipid extraction protocol for Salicornia virginica and potentially apply this protocol to halophytes in general.