On the yield and quality of sodium alginate from Sargassum wightii (greville) by pre-treatment with Chemicals

Sundried and powdered Sargassum wigluii was treated with 1 % HcI, 1 % NaOH and 10% formalin and fresh material of the same species with different concentrations of formalin, 140%, with a view to assessing the effect of chemical pre-Ireatment on the yield and viscosity of the algin content. The study indicates that high yield and viscosity of the product could be obtained by pre-treating the fresh a1ginophytes with 1-5% formalin.