Evaluation of Bioactive Properties of Marine Algae Extracts: Antibacterial and Antioxidant Perspectives

The marine environment serves as an immense repository of valuable resources including nutraceuticals, food, biofuels, and pharmaceutical compounds of significant economic importance. This study used petroleum ether, chloroform, ethanol, and water as solvents for the extraction process. The bioactive properties of the macroalgal extracts were evaluated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of terpenoids, flavonoids, and saponins in the petroleum ether and chloroform extracts of Ulva rigida C. Agardh, U. fasciata Delile, and Gracilaria arcuata Zanardini. Petroleum ether, chloroform, and ethanol extracts of U. fasciata and U. rigida have shown antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The chloroform extracts of Gracilaria cortica (J.Agardh) J.Agardh, U. fasciata, U. rigida exhibited 47%, 58%, and 60% antioxidant activity in the 2,2-Diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl assay. Phytochemical characterization using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy has identified various functional groups like alcohols, carboxylic acids, esters, alkenes, amine salts, alkanes, and allenes. These results highlight the biochemical diversity and promising bioactivities of macroalgal extracts, indicating their potential for various pharmaceutical and food applications.