Extraction optimization and analysis of monosaccharide composition of fucoidan from Saccharina japonica by capillary zone electrophoresis

To optimize the extraction process of fucoidan from Saccharina japonica, an orthogonal test with four factors and three levels was designed in the present experiment. The results showed that the highest extraction yield was obtained under the following conditions: extraction temperature, 90 °C; extraction time, 1.5 h; number of extractions, 3; and pH of the extraction solution, 2.5. Furthermore, a capillary zone electrophoresis method using a UV detector was established for the analysis of the monosaccharide composition of fucoidan via 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone derivatization. The results showed that fucoidans found in the three different samples all consisted of xylose, rhamnose, fucose, mannose, galactose, and glucuronic acid, while the mole ratios of monosaccharide components revealed differently. Moreover, fucose and galactose were found to be the most abundant monosaccharides in the samples. The above results could be further used for in-depth study on the mechanism of biological activity of fucoidan from S. japonica.