FAMEs were analysed by a gas chromatograph equipped with a flame ioniza on detector (PerkinElmer Clarus 690 GC-FID) and a fused silica capillary column Elite-WAX (30m×0.32 mm×0.5µm, PerkinElmer, Shelton, USA). Helium was used as carrier gas and column flow was held at 1.5 mL min -1 . Samples (1 μL) were injected in split mode (1:20) and the analysis parameters were: injector temperature at 240 °C and detector temperature at 250 °C. The ini al column temperature was 50 °C for 1 min, before being increased to 150 °C at a rate of 40 °C min -1 , then increased to 200 °C at 2 °C min -1 , then to 214 °C at 1 °C min -1 , then to 230 °C at 40 °C min -1 , to a final temperature of 240 °C at 10 °C min -1 and held for 10 min. Nitrogen gas was used as make up gas (30 mL min -1 ); flow of hydrogen gas and synthe c air were provided at 30 and 450 mL min -1 , respec vely. FAMEs were iden fied by comparing their reten on mes with those of authen c standards (37 FAMEs, standard mixture, Supelco, Sigma-Aldrich). Nonadecanoic acid (C19:0) was used as internal standard. The rela ve quan fica on of FAMEs was calculated as percentage of the total FAs present in the analysed microalgae. For further details, please refer to the Suppor ng Informa on.