Optimization of seriated extraction process, and physico-chemical characterization of ulvan from seaweed Ulva lactuca L.

The green seaweed Ulva lactuca Linnaeus is found in the coastal zones of the oceans and because of rapid proliferation in waters with eutrophication, this alga forms a “green tide” that causes the death of aquatic organisms by hypoxia [1-3]. Ulvan, a class of sulfated heteropolysaccharides extracted from the cell wall of the alga of the order Ulvales, is the main constituent of this green alga [4]. The objective of this work was to optimize the process of seriated extraction of ulvan and perform the comparison and characterization of samples obtained by microwave heating after homogenization in Ultra-Turrax, mechanical stirrer with helix and ultrasonic bath. Ulvan samples were evaluated for yield, morphological aspects and physico-chemical properties. After lyophilization, the samples showed differences in the evaluated parameters. The analysis of the results allowed to conclude that the technique with homogenization in Ultra-Turrax was more efficient in the extraction of ulvan.