Abstract
Ulvan belongs to the class of sulfated heteropolysaccharide and is the main component of the seaweed Ulva ohnoi (U. ohnoi). Ulvan has a chemical structure similar to fucoidan, chondroitin sulfate, and hyaluronic acid, which are commonly used to develop drug delivery systems. Due to the potential biomedical applications of sulfated and non-sulfated polysaccharides, this work aimed to develop an environmentally friendly method for extracting ulvan from U. ohnoi with high yield and purity. A novel method for the extraction of ulvan is proposed and demonstrated successfully. Various characterization techniques were employed to evaluate the presence of sulfated ions, proteins, elements trace, and crystallinity. The structure, morphology, and physical-chemical properties of ulvan were characterized by electron microscopy (SEM), scanning transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (DRX), Infra-red spectrometry (FTIR), DSC-calorimetry and hydrogen-1 nuclear magnetic resonance (1HNMR). Analysis of the results revealed a fibrous, semi-crystalline structure with regular pores, a yield greater than 25%, and a degree of purity greater than 94%. A search for chemical compounds revealed low protein content, high sulfur content, presence of mineral salts, and total absence of heavy metals. Besides, the results demonstrate that the methodology employed allowed to obtain ulvan with a high degree of purity.