Extraction of anti-microalgal material from Laminaria spp. and effect of oligo-alginate derivatives on membrane potential

Abstract

Oligo-alginate derivatives were extracted from brown algae and its antimicroalgal effects and reaction mechanism were investigated. Oligo-alginate derivatives were produced from sequential hydrolysis of high molecular weight alginate by treatment of 2 N HCl and 1% H2O2. Antimicroalgal activity of extracts was proportional to reaction time and activity was highest at 4 hrs. When oligo-alginate derivatives were treated to Akashiwo sanguinea and Cochlodinium polykrikoides, mobilities of cells were ceased. A. sanguinea cells were crushed and plasmolysis was induced in C. polykrikoides cells. To investigate the action mechanism of oligo-alginate derivatives, changes of intracellular (pHi) and extracellular pH (pHe) were determined in the microalgal cells exposed to 0.05% of oligo-alginate derivatives. pHi was decreased about 0.3 unit and pHe was increased about 0.9 unit. These results suggested that change of membrane potential by oligo-alginate derivatives could led to microalgal cell death.