Alginic acid and derivatives, new polymers from the endangered Pancratium maritimum L.

Alginic acid and derivatives were reported for the first time from the bulb of Pancratium maritimum L. The brown algae Sargassum muticum was used as a source of sodium alginate. The alginic acid and calcium alginate production methods were performed. FT-IR spectra of sodium alginate extracted from P. maritimum reported an intense peak around 1614 cm(-1) and a second intense peak around 1431 cm(-1). Our analysis showed that the sodium alginate characteristic peaks of P. maritimum and S. muticum were similar. Chemical data in our study can provide some insight into the bioactive molecules in the species with important industrial and pharmaceutical uses and may lead to use P. maritimum as a new source of sodium alginate. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.