Rapid, colorimetric quantification of lipid from algal cultures.

Algae have significant potential as a source of biomass for the production of biofuels, due to their high growth rates and high cellular lipid content. Studies that address the use of algae as biofuels often require the frequent measurement of algal lipid content. Traditional methods for the quantification of lipid are, however, costly if sub-contracted, or involve the use of expensive analytical equipment that is not available in many labs.