Abstract
Microalgae are able to produce a number of substances such as starches, oils, proteins, carotenoids, polyphosphates, or crystalline purines directly from inorganic sources by photosynthesis. Due to their autotrophic nature, microalgae are also unique as they can synthesize complex isotopically labeled biomolecules from simple isotopically labeled inorganic substances.
Confocal Raman microscopy represents one of the optical methods by which the chemical composition of microalgae can be determined in situ, including the effect of isotopic labeling.