Mineral composition of some selected brown seaweeds from Mandapam region of Gulf of Mannar, Tamil Nadu

Abstract

Mineral content was determined in different brown seaweeds (<em>Sargassum wightii, Padina tetrastromatica, Chnoospora minima, Hormophysa triquetra, Sargassum myriocystum, Sargassum plagiophyllum </em>and<em> Sargassum ilicifolium</em>), collected from Mandapam region (Gulf of Mannar), Southeast coast of India. The ash content of different seaweeds ranged from 15 % to 20.5 %. The ash values were significantly different among the seaweeds (P˂ 0.05). The selected brown seaweeds contained both macro elements (0.77-564.5 mg/100g; Na, K, Ca, Mg) and trace elements (0.1-4.83 mg/100g; Zn, Mn, Fe, Cu). The present study was carried out in some of the underutilized brown seaweeds and it was concluded that the selected species can be used as feed additives in future.</span>