Analysis of seaweed elements and potential bioactive chemical estimate using GCMS in powered seaweed samples

Seaweeds are macroscopic algae that thrive in marine habitats, shallow coastal areas, and on rocky coasts. The primary industrial products derived from seaweeds include agar, agarose, and carrageenan. Seaweeds contains various pharmacologically important bioactive compounds like carotenoids, flavonoids, essential fatty acids, fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals. The present study mainly focus with the analysis of elemental composition of three species red seaweeds (Rhodophyceae) and three species of brown seaweeds (Phaeophyceae) using SEM-EDS. The collected seaweed species were washed, shade dried and thengrinded into a fine powder. The elements present in the seaweed species were determined by SEM-EDS in Central instrumentation laboratory, Department of Physics. Various element present in the seaweed are N>Na>Mg>Al>Si>Cl>S>B>K>Ca>Mn>Fe>Cu>Zn. Among the elements the seaweeds, maximum amount of nitrogen and potassium are observing in the Acanthophora spicifera and Sargassum wightii followed by Kappaphycus alverzii. From the results of SEM-EDS Sargassum wightii showed best result. Hence, the species was chosen for analysis of bioactive compounds by using the technique Gas Chromatography Mass Spectroscopy (GC- MS). Based on the results, the Acanthophora spicifera and Sargassum wightii can be used as a liquid fertilizer, which will improve the crop growth and productivity and hence these two seaweeds namely Acanthophora spicifera and Sargassum wightii are analysed for further studies.