Role of Extraction methods on the purity and Sulfate content of Fucoidan in brown algae harvested from the Makran coasts in Iran

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Department of Fishery and Marine Sciences, Faculty of Natural Resources and Environment, Islamic Azad University, Tehran North Branch, Tehran, Iran.

10.22059/jfisheries.2025.397957.1463

Abstract

Fucoidan is a complex sulfate biopolymer and one of the active structural components found in the cell walls of brown algae. The unique structural features of fucoidan, especially the level of impurities and sulfate content, are used as determining factors in its potential activity and biological performance in the food and pharmaceutical industries. In the present study, fucoidans were extracted from the brown algae Padina australis, Nizimuddinia zanardinii, and Sargassum latifolium using various extraction methods, including water, dilute hydrochloric acid, and calcium chloride solution. The results indicated that the highest fucoidan content was obtained through acid extraction from Nizimuddinia zanardinii. Subsequently, protein impurities were assessed using the BCA method, uronic acid impurities through the carbazole method, and sulfate content via turbidimetry, utilizing gelatin and barium chloride reagents in the fucoidans extracted with water, acid, and salt from N. zanardinii. The analyses revealed that the fucoidan obtained through acid extraction produces the highest level of uronic acid impurities. Additionally, the acid-extracted fucoidan exhibited the lowest protein impurity content while achieving the highest sulfate content compared to samples extracted with water and salt. Given that the biomass of Sargassum latifolium and Padina australis is significantly higher along the southern coasts of the country than that of Nizimuddinia zanardinii, it is recommended that acid extraction be considered the optimal method, with Sargassum latifolium identified as a rich source of fucoidan with high sulfate content for human consumption and aquaculture applications.

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References

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Journal of Fisheries
Volume 78, Issue 4
December 2025
Pages 293-303

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