Separation of Agarose and Agaropectin from Agar

Abstract

Agar were prepared from the material seaweed for agar industry, i.e. Gelidium amansii, Gelidium japonicum, Ceramium boydenii and Gracilaria verrucosa, to separate agarose and agaropectin by the methods of acetylation, sodium iodide and dimethylsulfoxide.
It was found that the ratio of agarose and agaropectin varied with the kind of seaweed employed as raw material, the method of preparation of agar and the method of separation of them. The content of D-galactose and 3, 6-anhydro-L-galactose in agarose obtained was found to be 49-50% and 44-54% respectively. The infrared spectrum of agar, agarose and agaropectin was considered to be approximately identical.