Driving Advance through Ulvan Production Expertise
Ulvan is a naturally occurring polysaccharide compound found mainly in some marine green algae, such as kelp and green algae. It has a complex chemical structure consisting mainly of monosaccharide units such as glucose, galactose, and glucuronic acid. Ulvan is well known for its bioactivity and biocompatibility and has a wide range of potential applications, including medicine, agriculture, and environmental protection. CD BioGlyco utilizes a variety of state-of-the-art Technologies and experience in Marine Carbohydrate Production to provide clients with comprehensive Marine Plant Polysaccharide Production Services, including our ulvan production service.
Preparation methods for ulvan extraction
First, our experts collect seaweed samples containing ulvan and clean and remove impurities. Subsequently, to release the ulvan, we use mechanical methods such as agitation and ultrasonic treatment or chemical methods to break the seaweed cell walls. This effectively opens the cell wall structure, allowing ulvan to be fully released and prepared for subsequent extraction.
Ulvan extraction and purification process
Then, we mix the crushed seaweed samples with an appropriate solvent (e.g., water, acidic solution, or organic solvent) to dissolve the ulvan in the solvent to perform the extraction process. The solid residue and impurities in the solution are then separated by filter paper or centrifugation, and the ulvan is precipitated using alcohol or other precipitating agents. After that, the precipitate is washed with a suitable solvent to remove impurities and residual solvents. The washed precipitate is dried at a low temperature to obtain pure ulvan.
Product characterization
Finally, we perform the following characterization of the purified ulvan:
- Compositional analysis
- Sugar composition analysis
- Sulfation determination
- Glycosidic bonding analysis
- Sugar sequence analysis
The above methods are common ulvan characterization methods that we used, our experts help you choose the appropriate methods and parameters according to the specific research purpose, sample source, and experimental conditions.
Publication
Technology: Antimicrobial activity evaluation, size exclusion chromatography (SEC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy
Journal: Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology
IF: 3.094
Published: 2022
Results: This article focuses on the production and properties of a sulfated polysaccharide called ulvan derived from the seaweed Ulva lactuca. The article states that ulvan is a sulfated polysaccharide with unique properties and qualities with high carbohydrate and sulfate content. The study found that ulvan extracted from U. lactuca has significant antibacterial and antifouling activity. In addition, the study combined ulvan with chitosan to further enhance its antimicrobial activity and compared it with commercial antibiotics. However, ulvan had no antifungal activity against the fungi tested. Overall, the study demonstrated that U. lactuca has the potential for high ulvan production and that the extracted ulvan has significant antimicrobial and antifouling activities.
Fig.1 The purified ulvan exhibits anti-fouling activity. (Ibrahim, et al., 2022)
Applications
- It is used to develop antimicrobial agents for use in areas such as packaged foods, cosmetics, and the pharmaceutical industry.
- Ulvan has anti-fouling properties that inhibit the attachment of bacteria to surfaces. Therefore, it can be used to develop anti-fouling agents for anti-fouling coatings on ships, marine engineering, and other artificial surfaces.
- It can be used to develop biomaterials such as medical dressings, drug carriers, and tissue engineering scaffolds due to its biological activities such as antibacterial, antioxidant, anticancer, and anticoagulant.
Advantages
- Our advanced technology for extraction enhances the efficiency of ulvan extraction, leading to decreased production time and cost.
- Our production technology retains a large number of active components, allowing for its extensive use in biomedicine, food additives, agriculture, and other areas.
- The flexibility of our production process allows the manufacturing process to be adapted to different applications, producing ulvan products with different molecular weights and functional properties to meet diverse market needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the challenges that may be encountered in the production process of ulvan?
In addition to ulvan, green algae may contain other polysaccharides, proteins, fats, pigments, and other impurities that need to be removed or reduced in the purification process.
What are the biological activities of ulvan?
Ulvan, as a natural polysaccharide, exhibits a wide range of biological activities. It possesses significant antioxidant capacity, scavenging free radicals and inhibiting oxidative reactions, helping to prevent oxidative cell damage. In addition, ulvan exhibits anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antitumor activities, modulates the immune system, inhibit blood clotting, and shows potential for use in some health and medical applications, including pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and food additives.
CD BioGlyco employs advanced technology to offer professional ulvan production service. The use of various technologies enables the increase in ulvan yield and ensures the structural integrity of the final product. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you require further information about our service.
Reference
- Ibrahim, M.I.A.; et al. Considerable production of ulvan from Ulva lactuca with special emphasis on its antimicrobial and anti-fouling properties. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology. 2022, 194(7): 3097-3118.
