Alginates Biology And Applications

"Alginates: Biology and Applications" provides an overview of the state of art of alginate material properties, genetics and the molecular mechanisms underlying alginate biosynthesis as well as applications of tailor-made alginates in medicine, food and biotechnology. Topics treated are: material properties of alginates, alginate production: precursor biosynthesis, polymerization and secretion, bacterial system for alginate uptake and degradation, enzymatic alginate modification, alginate gene regulation, role of alginate in bacterial biofilms, microbial production of alginates: physiology and process aspects, alginate-based blends and nano/microbeads, applications of alginates in food, alginate and its comonomer mannuronic acid: medical relevance as drugs.

"Alginates: Biology and Applications" provides an overview of the state of art of alginate material properties, genetics and the molecular mechanisms underlying alginate biosynthesis as well as applications of tailor-made alginates in medicine, food and biotechnology. Topics treated are: material properties of alginates, alginate production: precursor biosynthesis, polymerization and secretion, bacterial system for alginate uptake and degradation, enzymatic alginate modification, alginate gene regulation, role of alginate in bacterial biofilms, microbial production of alginates: physiology and process aspects, alginate-based blends and nano/microbeads, applications of alginates in food, alginate and its comonomer mannuronic acid: medical relevance as drugs.

Alginates are biodegradable, biocompatible, renewable, and natural polysaccharides in brown marine algae. Properties and Applications of Alginates provides an overview of the state of the art of chemical and material properties of alginates and biomedical and nanotechnology mechanisms underlying alginate biosynthesis. It discusses alginate-based materials’ fundamentals that combine research and technological advances with current limitations. Moreover, novel technologies using alginate composites are introduced, and as well as the latest developments in alginate-based technologies were reviewed. It also examines potential uses of alginates in immobilized biocatalysts, nanoparticle synthesis, wastewater treatment, heavy metal removal, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and biomedicine.

Alginate is a hydrophilic, biocompatible, biodegradable, and relatively economical polymer generally found in marine brown algae. The modification in the alginate molecule after polymerization has shown strong potential in biomedical, pharmaceutical and biotechnology applications such as wound dressing, drug delivery, dental treatment, in cell culture and tissue engineering. Besides this, alginates have industrial applications too in the paper and food industries as plasticizers and additives. The few books that have been published on alginates focus more on their biology. This current book focuses on the exploration of alginates and their modification, characterization, derivatives, composites, hydrogels as well as the new and emerging applications.

This book presents a comprehensive review of the latest advances in developing alginate-based biomaterials and derivatives as well as their biomedical and pharmaceutical applications. It covers the physiochemical properties of alginates, production and formulation methods, derivatizations and characterization methods, the fundamental work on optimizing alginate polymers for defined biomedical purposes as well as the scope and effectiveness of their applications in medicine and therapeutic approaches. The book brings together new concepts and advances in harnessing alginate-based biomaterials in combination with applied technological advances to tailor their applications to medical needs. The contributions by leading academics, clinicians and researchers not only cover the fundamentals, but also open new avenues for meeting future challenges in research and clinical applications.

Alginate is extracted from brown algae and some bacteria. It is an abundant natural polysaccharide and usually exists as sodium salt. In this book, the authors present topical research in the study of the production, types and applications of alginate. Topics discussed include the application of alginates in cell and enzyme immobilisation; alginate based materials in environmental applications; cross-linked alginates for modified drug delivery applications; bacterial alginate production by fermentation and the preparation and functionalisation of alginate-based hydrogels.

This new volume explores the latest research on the use of alginate as a biopolymer in various biomedical applications and therapeutics. The uses of alginates and modified alginates discussed in this book include tissue regeneration, encapsulation and delivery of drugs, nucleic acid materials, proteins and peptides, genes, herbal therapeutic agents, nutraceuticals, and more. This book also describes the synthesis and characterizations of various alginate and modified alginate systems, such as hydrogels, gels, composites, nanoparticles, scaffolds, etc., used for the biomedical applications and therapeutics. Alginate, a biopolymer of natural origin, is of immense interest for its variety of applications in pharmaceuticals (as medical diagnostic aids) and in materials science. It is the one of the most abundant natural biopolymers and is considered an excellent excipient because of its non-toxic, stable, and biodegradable properties. Several research innovations have been made on applications of alginate in drug delivery and biomedicines. There needs to be a thorough understanding of the synthesis, purification, and characterization of alginates and its derivatives for their utility in healthcare fields, and this volume offers an abundance of information toward that end.

Industrial Applications of Marine Biopolymers presents different classes of marine biopolymers and their industrial applications, demonstrating the precious value of ocean resources to society. This timely volume discusses the exceedingly useful polymers derived from these materials that are biodegradable, biocompatible, and at times water soluble. Direct use or chemically modified forms of such biomaterials have many chemical sites, making them suitable for varied types of industrial applications. In addition, this book also addresses current global challenges of conservation, including extended drought conditions and the need for improved agricultural methods, together with new bio-medical developments. It is suitable for anyone who has an interest in the industrial applications of biopolymers.