Seasonal variation of sterol, hydrocarbon, and fatty acid fractions in Codium fragile (Sur.) Hariot [algae]

The present paper describes the seasonal variation of constituents such as sterol, hydrocarbon and higher fatty acid fractions from Codium fragile (SUR.) HARIOT growing profusely in the Inland Sea of Japan. C. fragile is characterized by a higher content of clerosterol [(24S)-24-ethylcholesta-5, 25-dien-3β-ol] (80%) as the major component in the sterol fraction throughout the year, and its content attained the minimum level in the summer months and reached the maximum level in the winter months. The contents of 24-methylenecholesterol and cholesterol were consistently low in all seasons. Heptadecane was characteristically present in appreciable amounts, except during the autumn months. The palmitic acid content rapidly increased from early spring to the summer months and then decreased to its minimum level in the winter months. The phytol content was generally low throughout the year.