Fatty acids, chlorophylls and total silicon in mucilaginous aggregates collected in a coastal area of the Northern Adriatic Sea facing Emilia-Romagna in August 1988

Abstract Fatty acid, chlorophylls a , b , c and total silicon analysis were carried out in mucilaginous aggregates collected in a coastal area of the Northern Adriatic Sea facing Emilia-Romagna in August 1988, with the aim of contributing to determine the taxonomy of the producers. The combined data seem to confirm the idea that the mucilaginous aggregates mostly derive from the diatoms responsible for typical blooms in the Adriatic sea. When the presence and morphology of the organisms in the mucilaginous aggregates is not clear, the biochemical marker study seems to be useful not only for taxonomic determination of marine micro and macro algae and other eukariotic organisms, but also for marine prokariotes.