A study of the phycocolloids fromGelidium madagascarienseandEucheuma denticulatum(Rhodophyta) collected on the south coasts of Madagascar

✍ Scribed by J. Mollion; M. Andriantsiferana; M. Sekkal

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1990
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 336 KB
• Volume: 204-205
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1573-5141
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00040301

✦ Synopsis

Several species of red algae known to contain agar or carrageenan are abundant on the southeast and southwest coasts of Madagascar . The agarophyte Gelidium madagascariense, collected in the Fort Dauphin area, has been exported on a small scale to Japan for several years . FT-IR and GLC analysis show that it contains an agar polymer, of which the methylated fraction contains predominantly 6-0-methyl galactose and traces of 4-0-methyl galactose .

Eucheuma denticulatum grows profusely on the coral reefs in the Tulear area . FT-IR and GLC analysis show that it contains iota-carrageenan, with no methyl-derivative contaminants . The 3,6-anhydrogalactose content was found to be rather low, suggesting a possible contamination with deviant iota . The economic potential of other sources of phycocolloids, as well as the possibility of farming different species of Eucheuma in the Tulear area, is discussed .