Seaweed Carbohydrates Analysis

In recent years, there has been considerable interest in the potential of using seaweed (or macroalgal biomass) to produce energy, biofuels and chemicals through biorefinery methods. Polysaccharides are the active ingredients in seaweed. Many of these polysaccharides are used in foods as thickeners, gelling agents, and emulsion stabilizers, while others are well known for their biological activities. The polysaccharide content in algae is affected by a variety of biological, physical and environmental factors. For example, harvest time, algae, and extraction protocols can affect polysaccharide yield and its structure. This has a significant effect on the functional properties of the polysaccharide. Molecular weight, the nature of the building blocks, the content and position of sulfate groups, the type of glycosidic linkages, and the geometry of the molecule are all very important structural features. Most algal polysaccharides are part of the algal cell wall, with the exception of storage carbohydrates located in the plastid. Each of them plays a different role in the seaweed.

Fig. 1 Cell-Wall Model of Seaweed from the Fucales Order. (Rioux L E, et al., 2015)

Our Services

For each component identified by wet chemical analysis, each sample will be analyzed in replicates and we provide component data for each replicate along with the mean and standard deviation between replicates. Our analysis solutions generally provide highly accurate results.

Fucose Analysis	Xylose Analysis	Mannitol Analysis
A 6-carbon deoxysugar with the hydroxyl group replaced by a hydrogen atom An important component in seaweed	A 5-carbon sugar (pentose sugar) It is mostly present in hemicellulose It is the most abundant sugar in xylans (a group of in hemicelluloses)	A sugar alcohol Derived from the reduction of mannose A major mass component of many seaweeds
Rhamnose Analysis	Galactose Analysis	Arabinose Analysis
6-carbon deoxysugar (a hexose sugar) It is present in some hemicelluloses The main component of pectin	A 6-carbon sugar (a type of hexose sugar) It is mainly present in hemicellulose	A 5-carbon sugar (pentose sugar) It is mainly found in hemicellulose, especially in many xylans and arabinogalactans
Glucuronic Acid Analysis	Galacturonic Acid Analysis	Mannose Analysis
A uronic acid derived from glucose It is present in hemicellulose	A uronic acid derived from galactose It is present in hemicellulose and pectin	A 6-carbon sugar (a type of hexose sugar) It is the most abundant sugar of mannans

We Do Better

Our expertise in ion chromatography has allowed us to develop a protocol to determine the carbohydrate composition of brown seaweeds.
Not only do we have extensive experience in the detection of algal active compounds, but our team of experts is always looking for new partners to make breakthroughs in the field of algal active compound identification technology.

CD BioSciences is a professional service provider for the marine biology industry. Our seaweed carbohydrates analysis services can help you determine the value of your sample and its best use. We provide our customers with the most precise ingredient data and highly informed process expertise. Our team of biomass experts plays a key role in the formulation, optimization and commercial evaluation of biomass value-added processes in industry and academia. If necessary, please feel free to contact us.

Reference

Rioux L E, Turgeon S L. Seaweed carbohydrates[M]. Seaweed sustainability. Academic Press, 2015: 141-192.

Please kindly note that our services can only be used to support research purposes (Not for clinical use).