Seasonal variations in the biochemical composition of some common seaweed species from the coast of Abu Qir Bay, Alexandria, Egypt

• Main Authors: Hanan M. Khairy, Shimaa M. El-Shafay
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2013-05-01
• Series: Oceanologia
• Subjects: Seaweed; Protein; Carbohydrate; lipid; fatty; amino acids
• Online Access: http://www.iopan.gda.pl/oceanologia/55_2.html#A9

Variations in protein, carbohydrate, lipid, ash, moisture, fatty acid and aminoacid contents of the seaweeds <i>Ulva lactuca</i> Linnaeus (Chlorophyta),<i>Jania rubens</i> (Linnaeus) J.V. Lamouroux and <i>Pterocladia capillacea</i> (S.G. Gmelin) Bornet(Rhodophyta) were studied seasonally from spring to autumn 2010. The seaweeds were collected from a rocky site near Boughaz El-Maadya on the coast of Abu Qir Bay east of Alexandria, Egypt. Remarkable seasonal variations were recorded in the levels of the studied parameters in the three species. <i>Pterocladia capillacea</i> was characterized by the highest protein andcarbohydrate content throughout the different seasons, whereas <i>Ulva lactuca</i> contained more lipids (4.09 ± 0.2%) than <i>J. rubens</i> and <i>P. capillacea</i>. The highest total fatty acids were recorded in <i>J. rubens</i> during the three seasons, while saturated fatty acids were predominant in <i>P. capillacea</i> during spring. This is due mainly to the presence of palmitic acid(C16:0), which made up 74.3% of the saturated fatty acids. The highest level of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in these algae was measured in <i>J. rubens</i>; DHA (22:6ω₃) was the main acid, making up 26.4% of the total fatty acids especiallyduring summer. Proline was the major component of the amino acids in the three algal species, with maximum amounts in <i>U. lactuca</i>.