Abstract
In this work, one dominant species of tunicates in Scandinavian Ocean called Ciona intestinalis has been investigated by extraction and characterization of its cellulose, oil, and amino acids. Potential applications have been evaluated for production of pure crystalline cellulose, biodiesel, and by analysis of amino acid composition of the samples. Pure tunicate cellulose (TC) has been prepared via chemiical treatment, using acid, alkali, and the subsequent bleaching. The cellulose percentage, and yield for the chemically pure cellulose obtained were around 96% and 54% respectively. Oil extraction has been done using petroleum ether as the extraction solvent, and then chemical structure and fatty acid composition of the obtained oil have been characterized by NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy), FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy), and GC-MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry). Tunicate’s oil has shown high content of free fatty acids together with very low content of glycerol, the latter being the common oil from vegetable origins. Moreover, the composition profile of Tunicate fatty acids seems to be similar to fish oil. However, amino acid composition has shown similarity to egg albumin, implying tunicate to have the capability to be considered as other marine organisms’ feed in the near future.
