Docosahexaenoic fatty acid
Abbreviations
- DHA
Synonyms
- cis,cis,cis,cis,cis,cis-4,7,10,13,16,19-docosahexaenoic acid
Description
Represents a 22-carbon polyunsaturated fatty acid with six double bonds. It is a primary marine-derived omega -3 fatty acid, found abundantly in cold-water fatty fish, krill, and specific microalgae.
Nutritional potential:
DHA is essential for the growth and functional development of the brain in infants and is required for the maintenance of normal brain function in adults. It is a major structural component of the human brain, cerebral cortex, skin, and retina (making it crucial for eye health). Like EPA, it offers significant cardiovascular benefits, including lowering blood triglycerides, reducing inflammation, and supporting overall heart health.
Biodiesel potential:
With six double bonds, DHA represents the extreme end of polyunsaturation, making it highly unsuitable for standard biodiesel production. While it has a very low melting point (approx. -44°C) that theoretically improves cold-weather operability by lowering the cold filter plugging point (CFPP), its extreme susceptibility to rapid oxidation, polymerization, and degradation results in abysmal oxidation stability (OS). It also drastically lowers the cetane number (CN), resulting in poor ignition quality. Algal or fish oils high in DHA must be heavily blended or hydrogenated to be viable as fuel.