Идентификация каротиноидов туники асцидии пурпурной Halocynthia aurantium

Composition and content of carotenoids from the tunic of ascidium Halocynthia aurantium are determined. Conditions for effective separation of their mixture are determined. Eight carotenoid components are identified by means of reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and high resolution mass-spectrometry. Five of them dominate, as astaxanthin (3,3'-dihydroxy-b,b-carotene-4,4'-dione), alloxanthin (7,8,7',8'tetradehydro-3,3'-dihydroxy-b,b-carotene), b,b-carotene-?,?'-dione, hydroxyechinenone (?'-hydroxy-b,b-carotene-4-one), and halocynthiaxanthin (5,6-epoxy-3,3'-dihydroxy-7',8'-didehydro-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-b,b-carotene-8-one). Halocynthiaxanthin can be used as a parameter of authenticity for the raw material and products from ascidians.