Chapter 8
Ulvans
Abstract Ulvans are sulphated polysaccharides present in the cell walls of green
algae alongside other cell wall polysaccharides. Their polymer structure is characterized by repeating units of disaccharide of sulfated rhamnose linked to other units
of either uronic acid, guluronic acids or xylose. They are soluble polysaccharides;
therefore, their extraction process is relatively milder compared to other insoluble
polysaccharides. Ulvans are extracted from the Ulva species of green algae. These
species of green algae as raw materials for biopolymer production have the advantage
of growing in more diverse habitats and having a rapid growth rate. Extraction of
ulvans is one way of utilizing the excess green algae resource which often results in
algae blooms, to produce high-value bioactive polymers.
Keywords Ulvans · Biopolymers · Algae · Chlorophyta · Sulfated ·
Polysaccharides
8.1 Introduction
Ulvans are one of the three sulphated polysaccharides found in algae. While the sulfated polysaccharide of red algae is carrageenan and that of brown algae is fucoidan,
ulvans are produced by green algae. Ulvans are found in the cell walls of green algae
alongside cellulose and insoluble polysaccharide and two other soluble cell wall
polysaccharides, xyloglucan and glucuronan, which are present in lower amounts
(Kidgell et al. 2019). Ulvans are water-soluble polysaccharides and are characterized by their copolymer repeating units of disaccharide of sulfated rhamnose linked
to other units such as uronic acid. The presence of sulfates, multiple sugar units make
ulvans more complex than simple polysaccharides such as cellulose and chitin.
Like the other sulphated polysaccharides of algae, ulvan has been shown to have
some bioactive properties which make it potentially applicable in diverse industries
including food, pharmaceutics, cosmetics and biotechnology. Such bioactive properties include immune modulatory (Berri et al. 2017), antibacterial (Berri et al. 2016)
and antiinflammatory effects.
© Springer International Publishing 2020
O. Olatunji, Aquatic Biopolymers, Springer Series on Polymer and Composite Materials,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-34709-3_8
169
Ulvans
Abstract Ulvans are sulphated polysaccharides present in the cell walls of green
algae alongside other cell wall polysaccharides. Their polymer structure is characterized by repeating units of disaccharide of sulfated rhamnose linked to other units
of either uronic acid, guluronic acids or xylose. They are soluble polysaccharides;
therefore, their extraction process is relatively milder compared to other insoluble
polysaccharides. Ulvans are extracted from the Ulva species of green algae. These
species of green algae as raw materials for biopolymer production have the advantage
of growing in more diverse habitats and having a rapid growth rate. Extraction of
ulvans is one way of utilizing the excess green algae resource which often results in
algae blooms, to produce high-value bioactive polymers.
Keywords Ulvans · Biopolymers · Algae · Chlorophyta · Sulfated ·
Polysaccharides
8.1 Introduction
Ulvans are one of the three sulphated polysaccharides found in algae. While the sulfated polysaccharide of red algae is carrageenan and that of brown algae is fucoidan,
ulvans are produced by green algae. Ulvans are found in the cell walls of green algae
alongside cellulose and insoluble polysaccharide and two other soluble cell wall
polysaccharides, xyloglucan and glucuronan, which are present in lower amounts
(Kidgell et al. 2019). Ulvans are water-soluble polysaccharides and are characterized by their copolymer repeating units of disaccharide of sulfated rhamnose linked
to other units such as uronic acid. The presence of sulfates, multiple sugar units make
ulvans more complex than simple polysaccharides such as cellulose and chitin.
Like the other sulphated polysaccharides of algae, ulvan has been shown to have
some bioactive properties which make it potentially applicable in diverse industries
including food, pharmaceutics, cosmetics and biotechnology. Such bioactive properties include immune modulatory (Berri et al. 2017), antibacterial (Berri et al. 2016)
and antiinflammatory effects.
© Springer International Publishing 2020
O. Olatunji, Aquatic Biopolymers, Springer Series on Polymer and Composite Materials,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-34709-3_8
169