Carotenoids of two species of the Antarctic higher plants from King George Island were analysed. Using thin-layer and column chromatography 16 carotenoids were identified. The total carotenoid content ranged from 4.064 to 17.257 mg/g of dry weight material.
Carotenoids in six species of the lichens from Antarctica (Xanthoria eleguns, Caloplaca regalis, Usnea antarctica, U. fasciata, Himantormia lugubris and Ramalina terebrata) have been investigated by means of column and thin — layer chromatography. The following carotenoids were found: β-carotene, α- and β-cryptoxanthin, canthaxanthin. lycophyll, lycoxanthin, lutein, lutein epoxide, zeaxanthin, antheroxanthin, adonixanthin, diatoxanthin, rhodoxanthin, rhodoxanthm derivative, α-doradexanthin, astaxanthin, astaxanthin ester, mutatochrome, mutatoxanthin and cryptoflavin. Most frequently occurred β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lutein epoxide, zeaxanthin and mutatoxanthin. The total carotenoid content ranged from 10.242 (Ramalina terebrata) to 18.700 mg/g dry weight (Himantormia lugubris) in October and from 4.765 (Ramalina terebrata) to 12.462 mg/g dry weight (Caloplaca regalis) in February.
It appears from the analysis of the chemical composition of macroalgae of the Antarctic: Adenocystis utricularis and Himantothallus grandifolius (brown algae), Leptosomia simplex (red algae) and Monostroma hariotti (green algae) that the examined algae, brown algae in particular (mainly Adenocystis utricularis), are rich in mineral components, primarily: sodium, potassium, hologens, and structural polysaccharides. Organic substances, such as: proteins, amino acids, lipids, fatty acids, saccharides reduction, chlorophylls and carotenoids, occur in the analysed algae in quantities much smaller in comparison with taxonomically similar macroalgae derived from marine environment having more favourable hydrochemical and climatic conditions.