Patarra, Rita F.Leite, JoãoPereira, RuiBaptista, José A. B.Neto, Ana I.2013-04-162013-04-162013Patarra RF, Leite J, Pereira R, Baptista J & Neto AI (2013). "Fatty acid composition of selected macrophytes". «Natural Product Research: Formerly Natural Product Lettes», 27(7): 665-669, DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2012.688048.1478-6419 (Print)1478-6427 (Online)http://hdl.handle.net/10400.3/1812Copyright © 2013 Taylor & Francis.The content of total lipids and the fatty acid (FA) profile were determined for eight macroalgae (Cystoseira abies-marina, Fucus spiralis, Chaetomorpha pachynema, Codium elisabethae, Porphyra sp., Osmundea pinnatifida, Pterocladiella capillacea and Sphaeroccoccus coronopifolius). Total lipids were extracted using a solvent mixture of methanol/chloroform (2/1, v/v) and further derivatised to FA methyl esters (FAME). The analyses of FAME samples were performed by gas chromatography coupled to a flame ionisation detector. The total lipid content ranged from 0.06 to 3.54 g (per 100 g). The most abundant saturated FA were palmitic (C16:0) and myristic (C14:0), while oleic (C18:1 n-9) was the dominant monounsaturated acid. All seaweeds contained linoleic FA (C18:2 n-6). The α-linolenic (C18:3 n-3) and eicosapentaenoic (20:5 n-3) acids were present only in Porphyra sp. (3.34% ± 0.13) and C. pachynema (0.47% ± 0.12), respectively. The n-6/n-3 and h/H ratios were low, suggesting a high nutritional value of the algae studied.engMacrophytesLipid ContentFatty Acid CompositionPUFAjournal article