Evaluation of the volatile composition and fatty acid profile of seven Antarctic macroalgae

Abstract

Fatty acids (FAs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are among bioactive substances produced by macroalgae, which have important reported biological activities. The aim of this work was to determine the diversity of FAs and VOCs in brown, green, and red Antarctic macroalgae. Results showed that seaweeds contained 13 to 25 FAs with a predominance of palmitic, oleic, linoleic, and eicosapentaenoic acids. Concerning VOCs, 28 to 55 distinct compounds could be detected, distributed among aldehydes, hydrocarbons, furan derivatives, and ketones, for instance. Generally, hexanal (5.83%–25.51%), heptadecane (0.92%–49.84%) and 2-pentylfuran (3.02%–12.57%) were found in considerable amounts in the analyzed specimens. It is worth noting that, to the best of our knowledge, this was the first time that Antarctic macroalgae had their VOCs elucidated. Therefore, Antarctic seaweeds were composed of several VOCs and FAs which could assist in the elucidation of secondary metabolites from these organisms.