Preparation, characterization and benchmarking of agarose from Gracilaria dura of Indian waters

Agarose was prepared from a red alga Gracilaria dura occurring in the Arabian Sea at the west coast of India. The agarose has been characterized by studying its physicochemical properties as well as by FTIR, C-13 NMR and CP-MAS spectra, inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectrophotometric and rheological measurements. This agarose had gel strength 2200 g cm(-2), gelling temperature <= 35 degrees C, sulphate content <= 0.25%, [alpha](589)(45)-22 degrees and M-W 1.25 x 10(5) g mol(-1). These properties were benchmarked against those of the commercially 58 available agarose products of Sigma (A0576) and Fluka, and were found to be comparable. (c) 2007 Published by Elsevier Ltd.