Volatile compounds from some Black Sea red algae and their chemotaxonomic application

Abstract

Volatile compounds from the Black Sea red algae Bangia fuscopurpurea, Gelidium latifolium, Callithamnion granulatum, Ceramium elegans, Laurencia papillosa and Laurencia coronopus were obtained by distillation-extraction and analysed by GC/MS. Different groups of compounds were identified: hydrocarbons, alkylated benzenes, alcohols, phenols, aldehydes, ketones, acids, esters, terpenes, nitrogen- and halogen-containing compounds. The results are compared with some recent data for the composition of the volatile compounds from four previously investigated Black Sea red algae, which are at different evolutionary stages. On the basis of their qualitative and semi-quantitative composition some chemotaxonomic conclusions are proposed. The eventual functions of some of the volatile compounds are briefly discussed.