ANTIBACTERIAL EFFECT OF SOME SPECIES OF SEAWEEDS FROM DIFFERENT STATIONS OFF THE GULF OF MANNAR COAST
Three seaweeds namely Ulva fasciata, Sargassum wightii and Gracilaria corticata were collected from four different stations along the Gulf of Mannar coast. Their antibacterial activity was compared .The ethanolic extracts of U.fasciata showed high activity against Salmonella typhii in station 2.S.wightii inhibited Shigella flexneri the most in station 1 and G.corticata showed a maximum zone of inhibition against S.flexneri in station 4.The data were subjected to ANOVA and were found to vary significantly among the four stations. This study shows that the same species collected from different area showed different activity. This proves that the environment plays a major role in bioactivity of these macroalgae.