‫بسم هللا الرحمان الرحیم‬
In the name of Allah
Passed the compassionate the merciful
Iranian National Institute for Oceanography and Atmospheric Science
Fatty acids and Nutritional Components of Ulva Fasciata
macroalgae from Qeshm Island, the Northern Persian Gulf
Homira Agah
PhD in Analytical and Environmental Chemistry
Ass. Prof. in Iranian National Institute for Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences
Co-Workers: Irandoust F.2, Costantini M. Letizia2, Rohi F., Savari Sh.
2University
Sapienza of Rome, Department of Environmental Biology
2016
 Increasing world population intensifies the need for access to
qualified cheap food.
 Marine resources is one of the best sources that human can
access to that.
 Algae is an important marine organisms.
 In addition to ecological importance, algae have different
industrial, agricultural, pharmaceutical and also nutritional
applications, due to their valuable compounds.
Such as: Lipids (essential fatty acids), carbohydrates (Energy
provider), nutrients, phenols, Amino acids, Fibers, different vitamins,
essential elements (minerals), and protein, which makes them
appropriate feeding source.
( Jensen, 1993)
(Bligh and Dyer , 1959)
(Richinond, 1990; Becker, 1994 and Caugliey et aI., 1996).
Estimating algal economical benefits
 It is estimated that algal trade provides 5.5 – 6 milliard $ per
year, of which almost 5 milliard $ is allocated to nutritional
applications.
 Industrial algae applications per year is about 5.7-8 million
ton (wet).
 35 countries from Northern to Southern sphere have algal
production.
According to FAO (2002), 91% of algal productions is
allocated to Asia, while 71% of it is belonged to china.
Comparing production of Algae in global range
 The use of macro algae in Asia as industrial and food source is
well known and established.
http://rifr-ac.ir/data/ufiles/29f1_.pdf
Hypothesis
 Algae is one of the most important sources to access to
valuable fatty acids such as omegas and other compounds.
Object
 In Southern parts of Iran the three kinds of algae (green, brown
and blue) are plentiful.
 Detection algal valuable compounds can elevate local
economical level and health of local people.
Over than 250 algal species have been recognized at the
Northern Persian Gulf with different industrial and feeding
applications.
 Ulva sp. is one of the 221 macro algal species have been listed
worldwide as algae with commercially utilization
Ohno, 1999).
Ulva Fasciata
(Zemke-White &
Algal valuable Compounds
 There is limited information about this Ulav Sp. in this region.
 According to different geographical situations, seasons, years,
temperatures and water salinities, biochemical compounds of
algae can differ (Jensen, 1993) .
0.3 %
9.7 %
carbohydrate
Minerals
16 %
Protein
54 %
20 %
others
Fats
 Dettected major fatty acid compositions:
 to obtain an oil rich in α-linolenic essential fatty acid
with a low ω6:ω3 ratio and its nutritional value.
 Biochemical composition of Ulva Fasciata
 The green alga Ulva Fasciata from intertidal zone of the Qeshm
Island (Persian Gulf), was manually collected, transported to
laboratory on ice and then freeze dried until dryness.
Water content was 76.6±0.28 %.
Detection of Fatty Acids in Ulva sp.
 2 gram macro alga was extracted using soxhlet by methanol (6 h)
= 3.6±0.6 %.
 According to food and livestock feeds industries, diethyl ether
solvent, and soxhlet (2 h)= (0.35% dry weight) .
 Chemstation data analysis system was utilized. The final result of triplicate injections was reported.
 The main fatty acids were detected by GC/MS
equipped with electron
impact ionization source under (EI) mode of 70 ev, and quadrupole mass
instrument after derivatizing the extracted algal oil.
analyzing
The major fatty acids:
palmitic acid C16:0> Stearic acid C18:0> a-linolenic acid
C18:3> Eicosadienoic acid C20:5> Myristic acid C14:0>
Arachidonic acid C18:1 > Nervonic acid C24:1 > Oleic acid>
Heptadecanoic acid> Pentadecanoic acid.
A bundanc e
T IC : 4 A L G .D
180000
All the data were expressed as dry weight.
170000
160000
150000
2 3 .9 3
140000
130000
120000
110000
100000
90000
80000
2 6 .7 1
70000
60000
50000
40000
30000
2 9 .0 7
2 8 .1
24
9 .1 8
2 5 .0 9 2 7 .1 0
2 0 .4 7 2 2 .4 6
2 1 .7 6 2 3 .5 8
2 6 .4 7
2 0 .1 1
20000
1 8 .1 1
10000
1 4 .0 0
T im e -->
1 6 .0 0
1 8 .0 0
2 0 .0 0
2 2 .0 0
2 4 .0 0
2 6 .0 0
2 8 .0 0
3 0 .0 0
3 2 .0 0
 Human body needs fatty acids, a part of them such as Omega 3
unsaturated fatty acid, should be supply through diet or
supplements.
 In addition to ω−3, the human body needs omega-6 as well
(They compete with each other on the enzymes).
 Consumption of omega-3 fatty acids reduces the risk of cancer and heart disease
and lowers cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood, lowers blood pressure,
……
(Borowitzka, 1988; Callegari, 1989; Hemikson, 1989; Richinond, 1990 and Rodriguez and Guerrero, 1992).
 The balanced intake of essential fatty acids (ω−6 /ω−3) can
significantly influence the human health.
Low ω−6 /ω−3 ratio to approximately 1 lessens the pathogenesis of
many diseases.
The results exhibit that:
1- The ratios of ω−6 /ω−3<1 in the Ulva sp. extracted lipid.
ω−3 =14.7 %, ω−6=2.4 % of lipid content.
2- Ulva lipids can be an appropriate nutrition source.
Applications of Ulva sp. in agriculture as fertilizer
 Ulva SP. can provide minerals and rare elements.
1.6 % Ca as macro mineral,
0.56% P,
4.98% Mg,
3218 ppm Fe,
4.9 ppm Cu,
32 ppm Zn,
70.1 ppm Mn
 As livestock and poultry feed, some chemical compositions
such as crude protein (8.5 %, CP), Crude Fiber (0.95%,
CF), Acid Detergent Fiber (0.25%, ADF), Neutral Detergent
Fiber (16.9 %, NDF), Gross Energy (1520 cal., GE) and
38.9% Ash, were measured (McDermid & Stuercke, 2003).
 Crude Protein (CP) level is dependent on season and environmental growth
conditions (Dawczynski et al., 2007).
 Ulva sp. can be valuable sources for livestock feed
supplements.
 Can Lessen virtual water consumption by provender, livestock.
 More investigation is necessary to determine exact portion of
the algae, which can be added to provender.
 Southern parts of Iran with 1800 kilometer coastal areas
have various algal bio-diverse resources, which shows the
importance of cultivating algae in these areas.
Thank you for your attention
Any Question?