The amino acid composition of some Common marine algae from Qatar (Arabian Gulf)

Abstract

The most dominant twenty algal species representing the main three groups of benthic macroalgae, Chlorophyceae, Phaeophyceae and Rhodophyceae were collected from the coastal zones of the Qatar peninsula. The algae were chemically analyzed for their free and total amino acid contents using Alpha amino acid analyzer Model 4150 LKB. The analysis revealed the presence of seven free essential and ten free non essential amino acids in all or in some of the algae. It also showed the presence of six total essential and nine total non essential amino acids in the acid hydrolyzates of the algal proteins. Generally the amounts of the amino acids are less than those present in higher plants and less than the daily dietary requirements. The nutritive and economic importances of these findings are discussed in relation to the findings reported before by the previous investigators.