Table 1 Plant-based biopolymers and their applications
From: Biobased polymers of plant and microbial origin and their applications - a review
Biopolymer | Sources | Polymer Composition | Polymer Properties | Applications | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cellulose | Plant cell wall | Linear polymer of β-1,4-linked D-glucose units | Renewable, biodegradable, biocompatible, good physical and biological characteristics, enhances mechanical strength and stiffness of composites | Tissue engineering scaffolds, wound and burn dressings, medical implants, drug delivery systems, packaging materials | Das et al. 2023 [26] |
Starch | Plant seeds (e.g.,corn and wheat) and tubers (e.g., potatoesand cassava) | Composed of amylose and amylopectin polysachharides | Biodegradable, thermoplastic, exhibits good film-forming properties | Drug delivery application and in paper and cardboard manufacturing | Watcharakitti et al. 2022Â [129] |
Xylan | Cell wall of wood and annual plants | Composed of 1,4-β-D-xylopyranose units with branched carbohydrate chains | Biodegradable, film-forming ability, variable mechanical strength depending on composition and processing conditions | In paper industry, textile printing and as sweetener and preservative in various food products | Nechita et al. 2021 [85] |
Chitosan | Mushrooms | Polysaccharide composed of β-(1–4)-linked D-glucosamine units with varying degrees of N-acetylation | Biodegradable, biocompatible, non-toxic, exhibits antimicrobial, and bacteriostatic properties, good film-forming ability | Food packaging material, pharmaceutical applications, waste product valorization | Alimi et al. 2023 [8] |
Pectin | Primary cell wall of terrestrial plants | Heteropolysaccharide composed of α-1,4-linked D-galacturonic acid residues with varying degrees of methyl esterification and O-acetylation | Biodegradable, biocompatible, exhibits pH-dependent solubility, forms gels in the presence of calcium ions or at low pH | Wound dressings, tissue engineering scaffolds, and drug delivery systems due to their mucoadhesive properties and injectable hydrogels, antibacterial and anticancer activities | Sultana 2023 [120] |
Guar Gum | Guar Seed | Composed mainly of galactomannan, consisting of a backbone of β-D-1,4-linked mannose residues with side chains of α-D-galactose residues | exhibits pseudoplastic (shear-thinning) behaviour, biodegradable | Application is food emulsion, dietary supplement in broiler diets and supplementing it with β-mannanase to which restores the microbiota composition | |
Alginate | Extracted from the cell walls of red seaweeds (Rhodophyta) | Linear copolymer composed of alternating blocks of α-(1 → 4)-linked L-guluronic acid and β-(1 → 4)-linked D-mannuronic acid residues | Biodegradable, biocompatible, forms gels in the presence of divalent cations | Used in drug delivery systems, food thickening agents, stabilizer in emulsions, tissue engineering and as a component in biodegradable packaging materials | Szabó et al. 2020 [122] |
Carrageenan | Extracted from the cell walls of red seaweeds (Rhodophyta) | Composed of linear polysaccharides, primarily consisting of alternating units of D-galactose and 3,6-anhydrogalactose | Biodegradable, biocompatible, forms gels in the presence of potassium or calcium ions, exhibits excellent thickening and stabilizing properties | Used in food products as a thickening agent, for drug delivery systems, potential in developing hydrogels and composite materials | Pacheco-Quito et al. 2020 [89] |
Acacia Gum | Bark of Acacia tree | A complex mixture of polysaccharides (primarily arabinogalactan) and glycoproteins | non-toxic, biodegradable, excellent emulsifying and stabilizing properties | Used as a thickener, stabilizer, tissue engineering, used in enhanced oil recovery | Koyyada and Orsu 2021 [54], Adewunmi et al. 2022 [4], Abou-alfitooh et al. 2024 [2] |