NUTRITIVE AND XENOBIOTIC COMPOUNDS IN THE ALIEN ALGAE, UNDARIA PINNATIFIDA, FROM ARGENTINE PATAGONIA

GIL, MONICA; TORRES, AMERICO; COMMENDATORE, MARTA; MARINHO, M.G.; ARIAS, ANDRÉS HUGO; GIARRATANO, ERICA; CASAS, E.

ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY

SPRINGER

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2014 vol. 68 p. 553 - 565

0090-4341

Seaweeds have been used since ancient times as food. The edible brown algae Undaria pinnatifida is native to northeast Asia; however, in 1992 the first specimens in Patagonian environments were found and since then, rapidly expanded. The main object of this study was to determine, for the first time in Argentina, nutritive composition and concentrations of trace elements and hydrocarbons in these alien algae and evaluate their usefulness as food. Sexually mature U. pinnatifida samples were collected at 10m depth in Nuevo and San José gulfs. The first site is influenced by activities from Puerto Madryn city, and the later place was considered as control. Protein, dietary fiber and mineral concentrations were similar in both gulfs and in the same order as in eastern countries. The highest crude protein, indigestible fiber, calcium and magnesium concentrations were found in blades, lipid concentration was highest in sporophyll and sodium and potassium in midrib. Amino acids showed the highest concentrations in blades and these were higher than those reported in kelp from Japan. Cadmium, arsenic, mercury and hydrocarbons were detected but only cadmium showed concentrations that could be a risk for consumption. In Argentina, maximum acceptable levels of these contaminants in seaweeds are not established.