Biochemical Composition of Marine Macroalgae from Gangetic Delta at the Apex of Bay of Bengal

Variations in protein, lipid, carbohydrate and astaxanthin content of Enteromorpha intestinalis, Ulva lactuca and Catenella repens were documented over a 10 months period from September 2007 to June 2008. The macroalgal species were collected from six sampling stations of Indian Sundarbans, a Gangetic delta at the apex of Bay of Bengal. On dry weight basis, the protein content varied from 4.15±0.02% (in Catenella repens) at Lothian to 14.19±0.09% (in Catenella repens) at Frasergaunge. The lipid content was low and varied from 0.07±0.02% (in Enteromorpha intestinalis) at Lothian to 1.06± 0.12% (in Ulva lactuca) at Gosaba. The level of carbohydrate was very high compared to that of lipid and protein and varied from 21.65± 0.76% (in Catenella repens) at Gosaba to 57.03± 1.63% (in Enteromorpha intestinalis) at Lothian. Astaxanthin values ranged from 97.73± 0.32 ppm (in Catenella repens) at Gosaba to 186.11± 2.72 ppm (in Enteromorpha intestinalis) at Frasergaunge. The values varied over a narrow range in the remaining stations. The results of biochemical composition of macroalgae seem to be strongly influenced by ambient hydrological parameters (surface water salinity, temperature and nitrate content) in the present geographical locale.