Iodine Content in Laminaria.

The contents of iodine in the dry and wet laminaria collected from several local markets were found to be very close each other ranging from 2380 to 2510μg/g and 48.2 to 81.6μg/g, respectively. The contents of iodine remained in the solid part of laminaria either after being immersed in water or after being boiled in water for a long time were found to be the same around 60μg/g, although, by boiling, the leaching rate of iodine from the laminaria was more rapid than by immersing. The major component of iodine in the laminaria was apparently of the water solube species and was speculated to be an inorganic form, e.g., iodide. The fact of similar iodine content remaining in the laminaria after both treatments, with cold and boiling water, may tell that there is a particular iodine species bonded in the laminaria (ca. 2.5%) which can not be leached out by water. No loss of iodine by volatilization was observed during the leaching of laminaria even by boiling, since all the iodine leached out could be found in the waters.