Multielemental analysis in red algae using X-Ray Total Reflection Fluorescence with Synchrotron Radiation

Full text: Seaweeds are organisms of great ecological value and are used by humans as food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics production and recently in the production of biofuel. The possibility of the medical use of substances such as antitumor activity, antiinflammatory and analgesic, among others, encourages research in this area. Therefore, the aim of this study was to characterize the chemical profile, in special the trace and major elements contents in the red algae: Hypnea musciformis and Osmundaria obtusiloba by X-Ray Total Reflection Fluorescence technique with Synchrotron Radiation (SR-TXRF). The SR-TXRF measurements were carried out at Brazilian Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, Campinas, Brazil. It was possible to determine S, K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Cd, Hg and Pb levels in these samples. Therefore, red algae can be considered important minerals sources, according their habitat. (author)