1H- and 13C-NMR spectroscopic studies of lipid extracts of the red alga Gracilaria longa

Lipid extracts of the red algaGracilaria longa were studied by1H- and13C-NMR spectroscopy. Peaks in the13C-NMR spectra attributable to sterols, chlorophylls and carotenoids allowed free and acylated cholesterol, chlorophylla and lutein to be identified as the most abundant components of these classes. A content of 0.5 ± 0.1 μmoles of total cholesterol/g wet alga was estimated from the1H-NMR spectrum, which also allowed the determination of the phosphatidylcholine/total lipid molar ratio (9.5 ± 0.5%). The13C-NMR spectroscopic experiments provided information on the position of the double bonds on the fatty acid residues. A comparison between NMR spectra of lipid extracts obtained for wet and dried alga showed that the alga undergoes both a dramatic peroxidation and some glycolipid degradation during the drying process.