Abstract
Alginate is a linear and anionic polysaccharide mainly extracted from brown algae and certain species of bacteria. This natural polymer is composed of guluronic acid and mannuronic acid units. Alginate belongs to a group of compounds that is generally considered a safe substance by the Food and Drug Administration, and due to its abundance, cheapness, and suitable biological properties, such as biocompatibility, non-toxicity, and the ability to gel easily in the fields of research, agriculture, industry, and medicine have been taken into consideration. The most important industrial applications of alginates as natural polymer materials are in line with their stabilizing properties, increasing viscosity, gelling, and ability to retain water. Due to the lack of alginate lyase enzyme (alginate-destroying enzyme) in the body of some animals, including humans, this polymer can be used in the preparation of wound dressings, drug carriers, tissue engineering scaffolds for skin, cartilage, bone, liver, and heart tissue. Alginate is also used in agriculture to coat seeds, fruits, and stem tips. The focus of the present chapter is on recent research advances in the applications of alginate from the industry and agriculture to the biomedical field.