PHYCOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATION OF BROWN ALGA SARGASSUM TENERRIMUM FROM KARACHI COAST

The thalli of brown alga Sargassum tenerrimum J. Agardh collected from upper and lower littoral deep rocky pools at Buleji, Manora and Paradise Point in the month of February 2008 to March 2009. The Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) of the methylated fatty acids exhibited the presence of total 29 fatty acids, i.e. 12 saturated and 17 unsaturated fatty acids. The proportion of former acids was higher (70 %) than that of the later ones (30 %). Palmitic acid (C16:0) was present in the greatest quantity (34.12 %) followed by stearic acid (C18:0) which was present (13.01 %). Among unsaturated acids hexadecatrienoic acid (C16: 3) was found in a highest amount (7.12 %). Cholesterol was identified by EIMS and H-1-NMR.