Gross Chemical Profile and Calculation of Nitrogen-to-Protein Conversion Factors for Five Tropical Seaweeds

Despite decades of research on marine algae, there are still significant gaps in basic knowledge about chemical composition of these organisms, especially in tropical environments. In this study, the amino acid composition and contents of total nitrogen, phosphorus, lipid, carbohydrate and protein were determined in Asparagopsis taxiformis, Centroceras clavulatum, Chaetomorpha aerea, Sargassum filipendula and Spyridia hypnoides. The seaweeds showed low lipid contents (lower than 5.5% d.w. in all species) and were rich in carbohydrates (more than 16% d.w. in all seaweeds). The percentage of nitrogen, phosphorus and protein varied widely among species, which red algae showed the highest con-centrations. The amino acid composition was similar among the seaweeds, which glutamic acid, aspartic acid and leu-cine as the most abundant. All species are poor in histidine. An average of 24.2% of the total nitrogen is non-proteinaceous. From data of total amino acid and total nitrogen, specific nitrogen-to-protein conversion factors were calculated for each species. The nitrogen-to-protein conversion factors calculated ranged from 4.51 to 5.21, with an overall average of 4.86. These findings show that the traditional conversion factor of 6.25 should be avoided for seaweeds, since it overestimates the actual protein content.

Temporal Variations of the Chemical Composition of Three Seaweeds in Two Tropical Coastal Environments

The seaweeds Chaetomorpha antennina, Gymnogongrus griffithsiae and Ulva fasciata were studied regarding tissue concentrations of total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total protein, hydrosoluble protein, total carbohydrate, chlorophyll a and total carotenoid throughout a 39-month survey in two coastal environments of Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. One of the sites (Itapuca Stone) has high concentrations of dissolved nutrients and an intense long-term process of cultural eutrophication;the second site (Bananal Inlet) is thought to have lower concentrations of dissolved nutrients and no relevant anthropic impact. Seaweeds experienced changes in the concentrations of the substances in the thalli;however they did not show any cyclic seasonal pattern, except for pigments, with lower values in summer in both sites. The differences found for each species in each sampling at the sites were small (e.g. U. fasciata, more total nitrogen at Itapuca Stone) or absent (e.g. C. antennina, no significant differences for hydrosoluble protein in the sites). Differences in the concentrations of dissolved nutrients in the sites did not generate contrasting chemical profiles in the seaweeds. There is no evidence of nitrogen- or phosphorus-limitation in any season. It is presumable that the concentrations of dissolved nutrients at the nutrient-poorer site are sufficient to generate high concentrations of the substances in the thalli of the species tested, similar to the concentrations measured in the eutrophic site. Experimental data are needed to elucidate the factors that promote the success of the species tested under contrasting nutrient availability and environmental disturbance.