alginsav

Alginic acid, also known as algin, is a naturally occurring polysaccharide found in the cell walls of brown algae. It is a linear polymer composed of two repeating sugar units, beta-D-mannuronic acid and alpha-L-guluronic acid, linked by glycosidic bonds. The arrangement and proportion of these units vary depending on the algal species and environmental conditions, influencing the physical and chemical properties of the alginate.

Alginic acid is insoluble in water but forms viscous gels when treated with divalent cations, particularly calcium ions. This gelling property is the basis for many of its applications. In its pure form, alginic acid is a white to yellowish, fibrous powder. It is indigestible by humans but can be used as a dietary fiber.

Its primary uses are in the food industry as a thickener, stabilizer, and emulsifier in products like ice cream, yogurt, and salad dressings. In the pharmaceutical industry, it serves as a binder in tablets, a suspending agent in liquid medications, and is used in wound dressings to absorb exudate and promote healing. Alginates are also employed in textile printing as a thickener for dyes and in the paper industry to improve paper strength and printing quality. Furthermore, alginate-based hydrogels are being explored for applications in tissue engineering and drug delivery.