XVI International Botanical Congess

Many marine eukaryotic algae possess chemotaxonomic lipid biomarkers. Dinoflagellates in particular are often characterized by the presence of sterols and pigments that are rarely found in other algal classes. To evaluate the utility of chemical biomarkers in characterizing marine phytoplankton communities, methods were developed and applied in a survey of lipid constituents of the dinoflagellate genera Alexandrium, Gymnodinium, Gyrodinium, Heterocapsa, and Prorocentrum. Silica column chromatography was used to obtain principal lipid classes, which were characterized by TLC-FID. Lipid fractions were also derivatized and characterized by GC/MS analyses of free and esterified fatty acids and sterols. Photopigments were also examined by HPLC.