Spectroscopic evidence of the marine origin of mucilages in the Northern Adriatic Sea

Vibrational Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and UV–Visible spectroscopies coupled to thermogravimetry were used to characterise the gelatinous aggregates as well as the humin and humic fractions extracted from the aggregates. Spectroscopic analysis made it possible to identify the main classes of compounds present in the samples. The FTIR spectra of the aggregates showed the presence of carbohydrates, saturated aliphatic compounds, aminic, esteric, amidic (proteins) and ketonic compounds, organic and inorganic phosphates, silica and, in some cases, carbonates. The FTIR spectra of humin and humic acids showed functional groups similar to those found in the spectra of the aggregates. The high aliphatic character and the absence of aromatic compounds observed in many aggregates sampled far from estuarine areas suggest the marine origin of mucilages. These results were also confirmed by the 270/407 nm (A2/A4) and 465/665 nm (E4/ E6) absorbance ratio in humic acids.