[Composition and content of carotenoids in body of the Black Sea gastropod mollusc Rapana venosa (Valenciennes, 1846)].

ABSTRACT

There were studied content and composition of carotenoids in body of the Black Sea gastropod mollusc Rapana venosa. To separate and identify this group of compounds, methods of thin layer and high performance liquid chromatography, mass-spectra and spectra in UV-VIS range were used. There were identified 84-87% of carotenoids. The main proportion belonged to mytiloxanthine--28-30%. The rest--pectenolon, diatoxanthin, alloxanthin--accounted for 10-15% of the total content except for beta-carotene--3-4%. The fraction is also isolated which contains complex esters of pectenolon, diatoxanthin, alloxanthin, and mytiloxanthin. It amounts to 17-20 % of pigments of carotenoid line. Minor components were not determined. Pathways of metabolic transformation of carotenoids in tissues of R. venosa are considered on the basis of study of the trophic system "mollusc-filtrator--mollusc-predator" by the example of Mytilus galloprovincialis and R. venosa.