Occurrence of 2-hydroxy acids in microalgae

Abstract

2-Hydroxy acids were believed to be absent in algae until this study, in which the analysis of microalgae belonging to Chlorophyta ( Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Chlorella pyrenoidosa), Rhodophyta ( Cyanidium caldarium M-8 and Cyanidium caldarium RK-1) and Cyanophyta ( Anbaena variabilis, Anacystis nidulans, Oscillatoria species and Phormidium foveolarum) is reported. 2-Hydroxy adds with carbon chain lengths of C 16-C 26, were found in all the algal samples studied, ranging in concentrations from 4.0 to 320μg/g dry alga. The dominant constituents are 2-hydroxyhexadecanoic, 2-hydroxynonadecanoic, 2-hydroxyhexacosanoic and a branched 2-hydroxy-C 19 acid. The distribution patterns of the acids differed significantly among the algal samples. Hence 2-hydroxy acids may be useful for the classification of algal species as well as being an important source of 2-hydroxy acids in the natural environment.