Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

An Overview of the Alternative Use of Seaweeds to Produce Safe and Sustainable Bio-Packaging

This review explores how compounds derived from seaweed, particularly polysaccharides like alginates and carrageenans, can be used to create biodegradable packaging as an alternative to conventional plastics. Researchers found that seaweed-based biopolymers offer both functional packaging properties and potential health benefits, while avoiding the microplastic pollution caused by petroleum-based plastics. The approach represents a promising step toward reducing ocean plastic contamination by replacing single-use plastics with marine-sourced biodegradable materials.

2022 Applied Sciences 102 citations
Article Tier 2

Use of Alginates as Food Packaging Materials

This review covers the use of alginate-based materials as food packaging, examining how alginate films protect food from physical damage, oxidation, moisture, and microbial contamination. Alginates are highlighted as a natural, biodegradable polymer alternative that avoids the microplastic pollution associated with conventional synthetic food packaging.

2020 Foods 122 citations
Article Tier 2

Eco-Friendly Biopolymers Shaping Sustainable Food Packaging

This review examines seaweed-derived biopolymers—particularly alginates and carrageenans—as materials for sustainable food packaging, covering their properties, processing methods, and performance as barriers to moisture and gases. It evaluates their potential to replace petroleum-based plastics and their degradation profiles under real-world conditions.

2025
Article Tier 2

Biopolymer from Marine Waste Biomass and Its Applications- A Review

This review examines biopolymers derived from marine waste biomass — including chitin, carrageenan, and alginate — as biodegradable alternatives to petroleum-based plastics, highlighting their environmental benefits and potential applications across multiple industries.

2023 Journal Of Biochemical Technology 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Role of microalgae as a sustainable alternative of biopolymers and its application in industries

Not a microplastics paper — this review examines the potential of algae-derived biopolymers (such as alginate, carrageenan, and polyhydroxyalkanoates) as biodegradable, eco-friendly replacements for petroleum-based plastics, highlighting their advantages but noting challenges for large-scale production.

2023 Plant Science Today 14 citations
Article Tier 2

The Blue Economy's Biopolymers: Using Marine Biomass to Develop Sustainable Polymers—Overview

This review explores the potential of marine biomass-derived biopolymers — including polysaccharides, chitin, and collagen — as sustainable, biodegradable substitutes for fossil-fuel-derived plastics within the blue economy framework. The authors describe extraction methods achieving 20-30% yields for alginate and 15-25% for chitin, and discuss how nanotechnology enables improved processing and performance of these marine biopolymers.

2025 Biopolymers
Clinical Trial Tier 1

The Characteristics of Bioplastic Made from Sodium Alginate and Kappa Carrageenan

This study tested bioplastics made from seaweed-derived compounds (sodium alginate and kappa carrageenan) as alternatives to synthetic plastics. The researchers found that mixing these natural materials improved the mechanical properties of the resulting bioplastic. Developing effective bioplastic alternatives matters because reducing reliance on conventional plastics could help limit the microplastic pollution that accumulates in the environment and the human body.

2025 Jurnal Kelautan Tropis 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Initial Properties Identification of Refined- and Semi Refined-Carrageenans as Raw Materials for Biodegradable Plastic Production

Researchers characterized two types of carrageenan — a natural polymer derived from seaweed — as potential raw materials for making biodegradable bioplastics. The study assessed their physical and chemical properties, finding them promising alternatives to petroleum-based plastics that could help reduce microplastic pollution.

2021 SQUALEN Bulletin of Marine and Fisheries Postharvest and Biotechnology 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Seaweed Polysaccharide in Food Contact Materials (Active Packaging, Intelligent Packaging, Edible Films, and Coatings)

This review examines how seaweed-based polysaccharides are being developed as alternatives to conventional plastics for food packaging applications, including active packaging, intelligent packaging, and edible coatings. Researchers found that these natural materials can extend food shelf life by providing antimicrobial and antioxidant properties while being biodegradable. The study highlights seaweed polysaccharides as a promising sustainable alternative to petroleum-based plastic packaging in the food industry.

2021 Foods 111 citations
Article Tier 2

Sifat Fisik dan Mekanik Bioplastik Komposit dari Alginat dan Karagenan

Researchers developed a bioplastic composite from alginate and carrageenan — both derived from seaweed — and tested how varying carrageenan content affected its physical and mechanical properties. Higher carrageenan content improved strength and flexibility. Seaweed-based bioplastics could replace conventional plastics in packaging applications while reducing plastic pollution.

2022 Journal of Marine Research 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Perspective on the Therapeutic Applications of Algal Polysaccharides

Researchers reviewed the extraction, structural properties, and therapeutic bioactivities of algal polysaccharides — complex carbohydrates from marine and freshwater algae — summarizing evidence for their anticancer, antiviral, antidiabetic, and immunomodulatory effects and identifying knowledge gaps needed to develop them as pharmaceuticals.

2021 Journal of Polymers and the Environment 64 citations
Article Tier 2

Synthesis and Characterization of Bioplastic from Macroalgae Padina australis

Researchers produced bioplastic from the brown macroalgae Padina australis as an alternative to petroleum-based synthetic plastics, which are major environmental pollutants. The alginate-based bioplastic showed promising material properties, suggesting marine algae could be a sustainable raw material for reducing plastic waste.

2023 Jurnal Kimia VALENSI 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microwave Assisted Extraction of Raw Alginate as a Sustainable and Cost-Effective Method to Treat Beach-Accumulated Sargassum Algae

Researchers developed a microwave-assisted method to extract sodium alginate from beach-accumulated Sargassum seaweed, offering a sustainable and cost-effective approach to valorize invasive algae waste while producing a biodegradable biopolymer alternative to plastics.

2023 Polymers 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Recent Advances in Biopolymers for Biomedical and Packaging Applications

This review examines recent advances in biopolymers -- including polysaccharides, proteins, and synthetic biopolymers -- for applications in biomedical and packaging fields. The authors highlight the appeal of biopolymers as sustainable, biodegradable, and biocompatible alternatives to conventional petroleum-based materials.

2025 The Bombay Technologist
Systematic Review Tier 1

Food packaging based on biodegradable polymers from seaweeds: a systematic review

This systematic review examines the use of seaweed-based biodegradable polymers as alternatives to conventional plastic food packaging. The research explores how seaweed materials can provide effective food packaging while breaking down naturally in the environment. Replacing petroleum-based plastics with biodegradable alternatives is one strategy for reducing the microplastic pollution that enters our food and water.

2024 BIO Web of Conferences 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Ultralight sponge made from sodium alginate with processability and stability for efficient removal of microplastics

Researchers developed an ultralight sponge made from sodium alginate, a natural seaweed-derived material, that can efficiently capture and remove microplastics from water. The sponge demonstrated high water absorption and strong microplastic removal capabilities while remaining stable and reusable. The study suggests this low-cost, biodegradable material could be a practical solution for filtering microplastic pollution from marine environments.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Coagulation performance evaluation of alginate as a natural coagulant for the treatment of turbid water

This study tested alginate derived from seaweed as a natural coagulant for removing turbidity from drinking water, finding that calcium alginate effectively clumped suspended particles. Natural coagulants offer an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional synthetic coagulants in water treatment, potentially relevant for systems designed to also capture microplastic particles.

2021 Water Practice & Technology 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Sustainable biomaterials based on cellulose, chitin and chitosan composites - A review

Researchers reviewed advances in making sustainable composite materials from cellulose, chitin, and chitosan — abundant natural polymers found in plants and shellfish — as biodegradable alternatives to synthetic plastics that contribute to microplastic pollution. The review covers how these biopolymers can be dissolved and combined into fibers, films, and gels for a wide range of environmentally friendly applications.

2021 Carbohydrate Polymer Technologies and Applications 117 citations
Article Tier 2

Safely Dissolvable and Healable Active Packaging Films Based on Alginate and Pectin

Researchers developed active packaging films from alginate and pectin biocomposites that are safely dissolvable in water, self-healing, and exhibit mechanical properties comparable to commercial packaging films, offering a potential biodegradable alternative to petroleum-based plastics.

2019 Polymers 89 citations
Article Tier 2

Microalgae as Contributors to Produce Biopolymers

This review examined how microalgae can produce biopolymers as sustainable alternatives to fossil-based plastics, highlighting their potential for generating biodegradable materials like polyhydroxyalkanoates and polysaccharides for packaging and biomedical applications.

2021 Marine Drugs 128 citations
Article Tier 2

Biopolymers in Aerobic Granular Sludge—Their Role in Wastewater Treatment and Possibilities of Re-Use in Line with Circular Economy

This review examines the composition and role of extracellular polymeric substances in aerobic granular sludge, finding that the high alginate content of granules not only improves wastewater treatment performance but also presents opportunities for polymer recovery aligned with circular economy principles.

2021 Energies 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Microalgae as a Source of Biopolymer - A Comprehensive Review

This review examines microalgae as a source of biopolymers for sustainable plastic alternatives, evaluating the potential of algae-derived materials to address the environmental and health harms caused by conventional plastic waste and microplastic pollution through biodegradable substitutes.

2022 Journal Of Biochemical Technology 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Marine Biopolymers: Applications in Food Packaging

This review examined the use of marine-derived biopolymers such as proteins and polysaccharides for food packaging applications. The study suggests that these biodegradable materials could significantly reduce reliance on conventional plastic packaging, offering environmental and economic benefits while improving the shelf life of packaged foods.

2021 Processes 78 citations
Article Tier 2

Electrospraying of environmentally sustainable alginate microbeads for cosmetic additives

Biodegradable microbeads made from seaweed-derived alginate were fabricated as replacements for the plastic microbeads used in cosmetics. This technology addresses a well-documented source of microplastic pollution entering waterways through bathroom drains.

2019 International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 54 citations