First attempt to cultivate the carrageenan-producing seaweed Chondracanthus chamissoi (C. Agardh) Kutzing (Rhodophyta; Gigartinales) in Northern Chile

Abstract

Chondracanthus chamissoi is an important source of carrageenan in Chile. Presently, all the production is harvested from wild populations. This study reports the ¢rst attempt to cultivate C. chamissoi. Experiments were conducted with female gametophytic and sporophytic thalli by inserting them among braids of a 7 mm polypropylene rope. Inoculated ropes were placed at 1, 3 and 5 m depths in two sheltered bays in northern Chile. The fronds adapted well to cultivation and grew at all the depths tested, although the greatest increase in biomass was observed at 1m depth. On a yearly cycle, higher biomass increases were observed in autumn and winter months compared with the spring and summer. We believe that by adapting the cultivation methodology, this species could be cultivated year round.

Functional and nutritional value of the Chilean seaweeds Codium fragile, Gracilaria chilensis and Macrocystis pyrifera

“…The values obtained in the carbohydrate investigation for the three algae are above the contents reported by several authors for fruits and vegetables daily consumed; they only resemble the carbohydrate content in dried fruit [32]. The high carbohydrate content is a very marked characteristic in most algae, comprising mainly soluble carbohydrates, sugars, including pectins, plus a lot of alginic acid in M. pyrifera and agar and carrageenan in G. chilensis [40][41][42].…”

Cultivation of the red alga Chondracanthus chamissoi: sexual reproduction and seedling production in culture under controlled conditions

“…To date, studies on this species have addressed different aspects, such as reproductive phenology and population dynamics (González et al, 1997;Vásquez and Vega 2001;García et al 1997;Ávila et al, 2008), growth phase development under laboratory conditions (González and Meneses 1996), vegetative propagation (Macchiavello et al, 2003;Sáez et al 2008), cultivation under controlled conditions (Alveal et al, 1999) and field culture at an experimental level (Bulboa and Macchiavello, 2001;2006;Bulboa et al, 2005).…”

Pb(II) and Cd(II) biosorption on Chondracanthus chamissoi (a red alga)

“…Red algae can be considered as potential marine resource and in many countries of South America alga farming is considered a competitive activity for the production of carrageenan: Chondracanthus chamissoi has been cultivated for the extraction of this biopolymer [23,24]. The ability of this biomass for sorbing metals should be investigated not only for the potential of these biosorbents but also for evaluating how these biosorbents could be at the origin of a contamination of carrageenan sources (for applications in food, cosmetics and health).…”