Extraction and Characterization of Alginate from an Edible Brown Seaweed (Cystoseira barbata) Harvested in the Romanian Black Sea.

Trica Trica,Dobre Dobre,Michaud Michaud,Ursu Ursu,Gros Gros,Oancea Oancea,Delattre Delattre,Djelveh Djelveh

doi:10.3390/md17070405

Abstract

Cystoseira barbata is an edible brown seaweed, traditionally used in the Black Sea area as functional food. Both alginate and brown seaweed biomass are well known for their potential use as adsorbents for heavy metals. Alginate was extracted from C. barbata recovered from the Romanian coast on the Black Sea with a yield of 19 ± 1.5% (w/w). The structural data for the polysaccharide was obtained by HPSEC-MALS, 1H-NMR. The M/G ratio was determined to be 0.64 with a molecular weight of 126.6 kDa with an intrinsic viscosity of 406.2 mL/g. Alginate beads were used and their adsorption capacity with respect to Pb2+ and Cu2+ ions was determined. The adsorption kinetics of C. barbata dry biomass was evaluated and it was shown to have an adsorption capacity of 279.2 ± 7.5 mg/g with respect to Pb2+, and 69.3 ± 2 with respect to Cu2+. Alginate in the form of beads adsorbs a maximum of 454 ± 4.7 mg/g of Pb2+ ions and 107.3 ± 1.7 mg/g of Cu2+ ions.

Highlights

Edible seaweeds have significant potential as functional food, especially as they are active against various human non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancers, type 2 diabetes/metabolic syndrome, auto-immune diseases, due to their high level of bioactive components—polysaccharides, peptides, polyunsaturated fatty acids, polyphenols, vitamins and minerals [1,2]
Cystoseira barbata is an edible brown seaweed, traditionally used in the Black Sea area as functional food. Both alginate and brown seaweed biomass are well known for their potential use as adsorbents for heavy metals
Alginate was extracted from C. barbata recovered from the Romanian coast on the Black Sea with a yield of 19 ± 1.5% (w/w)

Summary

Introduction

Edible seaweeds have significant potential as functional food, especially as they are active against various human non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancers, type 2 diabetes/metabolic syndrome, auto-immune diseases, due to their high level of bioactive components—polysaccharides, peptides, polyunsaturated fatty acids, polyphenols, vitamins and minerals [1,2]. Alginates’ absorptive, swelling and haemostatic features are involved in their mode of action against such health conditions. These features substantiate the use of alginate in wound treatment [6]. Their absorptive and swelling features have been linked to many other health-related effects. Alginates (calcium) have the ability to absorb bile acids and lipids and to lower cholesterol [9] and lipid levels [10]

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Results