Extraction of polysaccharides from waste seaweed and examining their film forming properties

Abstract

Biomaterials produced from seaweeds are used by many industries such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, medical, fertilizers, textiles, food and packaging. These materials come from living things that are renewable, such microbes, plants, and animals. They lessen our reliance on finite resources and have a minimal negative impact on the environment by providing a sustainable substitute for fossil fuels and synthetic materials. Turkey, with its agricultural potential and biodiversity, has a significant potential for the production and use of bio-based raw materials. Studies and policies implemented in our country to support the transition to a more sustainable economy in the future. Numerous species can be found in the oceans, which covers an important part of the planet's surface. These organisms are rich in biological materials that, with the help of biotechnology, could find application in a wide range of industrial applications. This area of study, known as marine biotechnology, investigates the potential use of these compounds derived from marine animals in a variety of industries. Marine resources are a renewable and limitless resource. Reducing dependence on fossil fuels and facilitating the shift to a more sustainable economy can be accomplished in this way. Turkey has enormous potential in the field of marine biotechnology because it is surrounded by seas on three sides. It is impossible to say, though, that this potential has yet to be fully fulfilled. Our nation needs to invest more money and conduct more studies in the field of marine biotechnology. There is a wide range of marine biomaterials. One of the most important of these biomaterials is seaweed, which is rich in protein, vitamins and minerals. The industrial utilization of seaweeds has a history dating back thousands of years and is still of great importance today. Today, when issues such as sustainability and efficient use of natural resources are on the agenda, the use of renewable resources such as seaweeds has become even more important. The seas in our country are home to a wide variety of algae species as they have different water temperatures, salinity ratios and depths. The coastline, especially rocky areas, is an ideal habitat for seaweeds. Various types of algae are frequently seen in these areas, which are constantly oxygenated by the waves. For some reasons, seaweeds collect on coasts. These are factors such as waves and currents, wind, tidal movements, the natural life cycle of seaweeds. Seaweeds of different species are collected at certain times of the year on the shores of the Marmara Sea, which is home to a wide variety of seaweed species. When these collections are on the shore, they can be disturbing in terms of odor and appearance. At the same time, it can restrict the usage areas of people on the coast. When waste seaweeds do not wash up on the shore, they accumulate on the sea surface, and since these accumulations reduce the contact of the sea with the air, they reduce the oxygen level in the sea and reduce the efficiency of the oxygen source needed by the creatures living in the sea. This, in turn, reduces the quality of life of the creatures living in the marine ecosystem, shortens their lifespan and may jeopardize the continuity of species. Collecting these algae accumulated on the sea surface and coasts to be transformed into various materials can both clean the sea and the coast and provide a cheap raw material source to the industry. Some similar studies are being carried out in different parts of the world. The structural and quantitative diversity of the chemical components found in the structures of these seaweeds, which are found in thousands of different species, may cause us to see these seaweeds as a very special resource. Seaweed is produced and used as a raw material nowadays all over the world. High-value applications of algal-extracted biopolymers are becoming more and more necessary as the algae industry and algae biorefinery expand. The polysaccharides in the structure of these seaweeds can be seen as a source of raw materials for different applications. Seaweeds can grow and reproduce in conditions that cause minimal damage to the environment. Since seaweed farming does not require fresh water, chemical fertilizers or land, which are some of the most important environmental constraints associated with land-based agriculture, marine farming appears to be more sustainable than land-based agriculture. Seaweed can absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, contributing to efforts to mitigate climate change. Even though we think that terrestrial plants are the source of the oxygen we breathe, photosynthesis by marine algae produces over 75% of the oxygen on the globe. Seaweed is consumed directly in many cultures, often as a source of nutrients and dietary fiber. Seaweeds are not only a great source of food, but also an important raw material for animal feed, biomass and biofuel synthesis and are currently being utilized in these fields. Seaweed can be used to remove pollutants from water and soil, a process known as bioremediation. The concept of this project is to collect different seaweed samples from the coasts of the Marmara Sea to isolate the polysaccharide components in their structure and to investigate the possible utilization of these polysaccharides as a source of feedstock. The first focus of the study is to determine the proportion of polysaccharides in the composition of different types of seaweed waste, the next step is to convert these polysaccharides into polymeric films using different film agents. This innovative approach not only addresses the problem of accumulation of marine waste on the coasts, but also allows us to see the possibilities for the proper utilization of this bio-waste material.