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Mini-Reviews in Organic Chemistry

Editor-in-Chief

ISSN (Print): 1570-193X
ISSN (Online): 1875-6298

Organic Modification of the Polysaccharide Alginate

Author(s): Matthew D. Cathell, Janah C. Szewczyk and Caroline L. Schauer

Volume 7, Issue 1, 2010

Page: [61 - 67] Pages: 7

DOI: 10.2174/1570193X11007010061

Price: $65

Abstract

The polysaccharide alginate is a linear chain binary copolymer made of guluronic acid and mannuronic acid subunits. Alginate is a natural polymer material produced by a number of organisms, including brown algae and bacteria. It has found application in a variety of areas, including food, cosmetics, pharmaceutical and biomedical industries. In recent years, a number of studies have been published on covalent modification of alginate, often through carbodiimide-mediated reactions at the carboxyl moieties. These modifications have imparted a wide range of different chemical and physical material properties, including altered reactivity, hydrophilicity, viscosity and sorption characteristics. This mini-review focuses on the methods and applications of organically modified alginates from recent publications.

Keywords: Alginate, modification, biopolymer, polysaccharide


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