Abstract
The evaluation of biopolymers of biotechnological interest has stressed the importance of renewable sources from the northern Adriatic Sea. In the frame of this research program, the red alga Gracilaria cf. dura, has been studied. Agar was obtained from Gracilaria cf. dura by means of alkali treatment and hot water extraction. In order to purify the extracts, amylase and isopropyl alcohol were used. Analysis of sugars was carried out by means of gas chromatography on alditol acetate derivatives; sulfate content was evaluated by means of infrared spectroscopy. An analysis of molecular weight distribution was carried out by means of high performance gel permeation chromatography coupled with a low angle laser light scattering device as detector. Analytical data were examined in terms of specificity of the algal source utilized, and the agar fractions extracted by means of this procedure were compared with a commercial sample.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Araki, G, 1966. Some recent studies on the polysaccharides of agarophytes. Proc. int. Seaweed Symp. 5: 3–19.
Christiean, D. & M. Bodard, 1983. Spectroscopic infrarouge de films d’agar de Gracilaria verrucosa (Huds.) Papenfuss. Bot. mar. 26: 425–427.
Craigie, J. S. & G Leigh, 1978. Carrageenans and agars. In J. A. Hellebust & J. S. Craigie (eds), Handbook of Phycological Methods, Physiological and Biochemical methods. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge: 109–131.
Duckworth, M. & W. Yaphe, 1971. The structure of agar. I. Fractionation of a complex mixture of polysaccharides. Carbohydr. Res. 16: 189–197.
Guiseley, K. B., 1987. Natural and synthetic derivatives of agarose and their use in biochemical separations. In M. Yalpani (ed.), Industrial Polysaccharides: Genetic Engineering, Structure/Property Relations and Applications. Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., Amsterdam: 139–147.
Izumi, K., 1972. Chemical heterogeneity of the agar from Gracilaria verrucosa. J. Biochem. 72: 135–140.
Kloareg, B. & R. S. Quatrano, 1988. Structure of the cell walls of marine algae and ecophysiological functions of the matrix polysaccharides. Oceanogr. mar. Biol. Ann. Rev. 26: 259–315.
Lahaye, M. & W. Yaphe, 1988. Effects of seasons on the chemical structure and gel strength of Gracilaria pseudoverrucosa agar (Gracilariaceae, Rhodophyta). Carbohydr. Polym. 8: 285–301.
Meer, W., 1980. Agar. In R. G Davidson (ed.), Handbook of Water Soluble Gums and Resins McGraw Hill, N.Y.: 7–19.
Murano, E., 1989. Aquaculture of Gracilaria spp. in the northern Adriatic Sea aimed at a high quality agarose production. Proc. Workshop on Outdoor Seaweed Cultivation, Port Erin, Isle of Man (UK), 1989, ECC (in press).
Nishinari, K. & M. Watase, 1983. Effect of alkali pretreatment on the rheological properties of concentrated agaragar gels. Carbohydr. Polym. 3: 39–52.
Renn, D. W., 1984. Agar and agarose: Indispensible partners in biotechnology. I & EC Product Research and Development, ACS 23: 17–21.
Rochas, G, M. Lahaye & W. Yaphe, 1986. Sulfate content of carrageenan and agar determined by infrared spectroscopy. Bot. mar. 24: 335–340.
Womer, M. G, 1982. The agarose monograph. Marine Colloids Division, FMC Corporation, Rockland, ME, Part 3: 16–22.
Yaphe, W., 1984. Properties of Gracilaria agars. Proc. int. Seaweed Symp. 11: 171–186.
Yaphe, W. & G. P. Arsenault, 1965. Improved resorcinol reagent for the determination of fructose and of 3,6-anhy-drogalactose in polysaccharides. Analyt. Biochem. 13: 143–148.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1990 Kluwer Academic Publishers
About this paper
Cite this paper
Murano, E., Brandolin, C., Zanetti, F., Paoletti, S., Rizzo, R. (1990). Characterization of an agar fraction extracted from Gracilaria dura (Gracilariales, Rhodophyta). In: Lindstrom, S.C., Gabrielson, P.W. (eds) Thirteenth International Seaweed Symposium. Developments in Hydrobiology, vol 58. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-2049-1_82
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-2049-1_82
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-7419-3
Online ISBN: 978-94-009-2049-1
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive