Gross chemical composition, fatty acids, sterols, and pigments in tropical seaweed species off Sinaloa, Mexico

espanolSe determino la composicion bioquimica de algas verdes (Ulva expansa, Caulerpa sertularioides, Rhizoclonium riparium, Codium isabelae), rojas (Spyridia filamentosa, Gracilaria vermiculophylla) y parda ( Padina durvillaei) recolectadas en diferentes lagunas tropicales en la costa del Pacifico en Sinaloa, Mexico. El contenido de proteinas fue mas alto en C. sertularioides, S. filamentosa y G. vermiculophylla (10–12%), seguido de R. riparium, P. durvillaei y U. expansa (8%, 6% y 4%, respectivamente). El contenido de lipidos se encontro en el intervalo de 0.3–1.5%, con el valor mas alto encontrado en R. riparium. El contenido mas alto del extracto libre de nitrogeno (i.e., carbohidratos) (69%) y el valor mas bajo de cenizas (25%) se encontro en P. durvillaei. El contenido de acidos grasos poliinsaturados (AGPI) se encontro en el intervalo del 5% al 45%, con los valores mas altos en R. riparium (45%), C. sertularioides (39%) y P. durvillaei (23%). Las algas rojas mostraron el mayor valor de colesterol+dehidrocolesterol (>90%), mientras que las algas verdes mostraron el mayor contenido de β-sitosterol (71–77%), excepto U. expansa, para la cual el principal esterol fue el fucoesterol+isofucosterol (79%). El contenido de pigmentos fue diferente entre las algas, aunque coincidio con reportes previos. Los componentes bioquimicos usados como biomarcadores se analizaron por componentes principales para discriminar entre las variables analizadas y agrupar las especies de algas en funcion de la variabilidad de su composicion bioquimica. Los resultados mostraron una composicion similar en cada grupo de algas, pero particularmente diferente en U. expansa y P. durvillaei. Los compuestos bioquimicos que contribuyeron a la variabilidad total fueron β-sitosterol, 20:4n-6, 20:5n-3, clorofila a y b, β-caroteno y, en menor grado, fucosterol+isofucosterol y 22:6n-3. Los resultados indican que las especies de algas analizadas podrian ser utilizadas como alimento para animales, pero tambien para consumo humano. EnglishBiochemical composition was assessed in green ( Ulva expansa, Caulerpa sertularioides, Rhizoclonium riparium, Codium isabelae), red ( Spyridia filamentosa, Gracilaria vermiculophylla), and brown (Padina durvillaei) seaweeds collected from different tropical lagoons on the Pacific coast of Sinaloa, Mexico. Protein content was higher in C. sertularioides, S. filamentosa, and G. vermiculophylla (10–12%), followed by R. riparium, P. durvillaei, and U. expansa (8%, 6%, and 4%, respectively). Lipid content was in the range of 0.3–1.5%, with the highest value found in R. riparium. The highest content of nitrogen-free extract (i.e., carbohydrates) (69%) and the lowest ash value (25%) were assessed in P. durvillaei. Polyunsaturated fatty acid content was in the range of 5–45%, with higher values in R. riparium (45%), C. sertularioides (39%), and P. durvillaei (23%). Red seaweeds showed the highest value of cholesterol+dehydrocholesterol (>90%), while green seaweeds showed the highest contents of β-sitosterol (71–77%), except for U. expansa, for which fucosterol+isofucosterol (79%) was highest. Pigment composition was different among seaweeds but coincided with previous reports. The biochemical components used as biomarkers were assessed by principal component analysis to discriminate among assessed variables and to cluster seaweed species according to the common variability of their biochemical composition. Results showed that composition was similar within seaweed divisions but particularly different in U. expansa and P. durvillaei. Biochemical compounds that contributed to total variability were β-sitosterol, 20:4n-6, 20:5n-3, chlorophyll a and b, and β-carotene, and to a lesser extent fucosterol+isofocusterol and 22:6n-3. Results showed that the analyzed seaweed species may be useful for animal nutrition and appropriate for human consumption.