Galactans of Gracilaria pudumadamensis (Gracilariales, Rhodophyta) of Indian waters.

Galactans from the Indian agarophyte Gracilaria pudumadamensis were extracted and characterized. The isolated native (GP(Native)) and alkali treated (GP(Alkali)) galactans were characterized by IR, 13C NMR, GC-MS and GPC. It was found that GP(Native) and GP(Alkali) were composed mainly of 3,6-anhydro L-galactose, 6-O-methylated D-galactose and galactose in various mole proportions (15.6:69.9:17.5 mole% for GP(Native) and 20.2:69.8:10.0 mole% for GP(Alkali)). The GP(Native) and GP(Alkali) exhibited low gel strengths (< 100 g/cm2) and high melting points (-76 degrees C), which may be due to the presence of high 6-O-Me-galactose contents. The latter, having low sulfate (2.1%), was by far the greatest 6-O-Me-galactose containing polysaccharide in a Gracilaria spp. reported in the literature. This methylated agar contained very low heavy metal ions estimated by inductively coupled plasma spectrophotometry (ICP). The results of this investigation would be useful in bioprospecting of agarophytes, especially those occurring in Indian waters and would be potentially useful in food, personal care and related domains.

Cellulose contents of some abundant Indian seaweed species.

Crude cellulose as well as alpha- and beta-celluloses were estimated in thirty-four seaweed species of fifteen orders of Chlorophyta, Phaeophyta and Rhodophyta of Indian waters. The greatest yields of crude cellulose and a-cellulose were obtained from Chaetomorpha aerea (approx. 20.0% and 18.5%, respectively), and of beta-cellulose (approx. 3.1%) from Caulerpa imbricata. The lowest crude cellulose, and alpha-and beta-contents were recorded for the calcareous red alga Liagora indica (approx. 0.90%, 0.70% and 0.10%, respectively). There was little variation in cellulose content among the brown algae, while wide variations in the yields were found in the green and red algae. The present work contributes to the repertoire of 67 Indian seaweed species studied to now for their cellulose contents in our laboratory. The combined studies highlight that Chaetomorpha aerea, Acrosiphonia orientalis, Caulerpa taxifolia, Sargassum tenerrimum, Hydroclathrus clathratus and Gelidiella acerosa possess relatively high (> 10%) cellulose contents, which could be of potential utility.

Chemical investigation of carrageenan from the red alga Sarconema filiforme (Gigartinales, Rhodophyta) of Indian waters.

Sulphated galactan (SF(A)) containing alpha (alpha), iota (i) and pyruvated alpha-carrageenans (17.6:18.8:25.3 mol %) was extracted and characterized from Sarconema filiforme of Indian waters. The SF(A) and its alkali modified derivative (SF(AM)) were composed of D-galactose, 3, 6-anhydro-D-galactose, 6-O-methylated-D-galactose (64.5:23.0:9.8 and 59.6:29.8:7.6 mol %) respectively. The linkage analysis, physicochemical analysis, infra red and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of SFA along with linkage analysis of the desulphated derivative (SF(D)) of SFA, reveals that it was a hybrid/combination of alpha/iota carrageenan as well as 3-linked 4',6'-O-(1-carboxyethylidene)-galactose (pyruvated alpha carrageenan) and 6-O-methylated alpha-carrageenan. The flow behavior of SF(A) obtained from rheological measurements suggested strong network formation in presence of 1% aqueous KCl and CaCl2 solutions.

Cellulose of Salicornia brachiata.

Cellulose was extracted from the roots, stems and stem tips of Salicornia brachiata Roxb. Each crude cellulose sample obtained was fractionated into alpha- and beta-celluloses. The yields of crude cellulose from the stems and stem tips were greatest and lowest, respectively, while the yields of alpha- and beta-celluloses were in the order, roots > stems > stem tips. The cellulose samples were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), solid state cross polarisation magic angle spinning carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (CP/MAS 13C NMR), X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD), thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The data were compared with those of the celluloses (predominantly alpha-cellulose) isolated from Whatman filter paper No. 4 (WFP).