Chapter 10
Aquatic Plants and Algae Proteins
Abstract Proteins are quite diverse group of polymers. For this reason, this book
divides proteins into three chapters—the present chapter on proteins from algae and
aquatic plants, a chapter on collagen and a third chapter on enzymes. Proteins from
aquatic plants and algae are of particular importance since they serve as a source of
plant protein which do not require land space for cultivation. As the demand for protein for nutrition rises alongside global population and arable land spaces decrease
due to desertification and demand for living space, an alternative way to grow protein is in the aquatic environment. To this end, this chapter reviews the process of
extracting proteins from aquatic plants and algae and discusses the environmental and
economic significance. In the process, chemistry and applications are also discussed.
Keywords Proteins · Algae · Aquatic · Phycobiliproteins · Biopolymer
10.1 Introduction
Proteins are rather ubiquitous; they are found in all living things. Described most
simply as the building blocks of life, proteins are biopolymers that can be found
in a wide range of organisms across the five kingdoms—animals, plants, protista,
fungi and prokaryotes. Aquatic-sourced proteins are applicable in various industries
from food to cosmetics to biomedical and many others. They have been sourced for
their nutritional value in food, skin enhancing effects in cosmetics, productions of
scaffolds in tissue engineering, catalyzing chemical processes, in the production of
biofuel, in cancer treatment and much more. Within this book, proteins are covered
in three chapters—the present chapter which covers proteins from aquatic plants and
algae, a chapter on collagen and another chapter covering enzymes.
Aquatic plants such as duckweed and water hyacinth have been investigated for
their protein components and how these can be used in applications such as animal and human nutrition as a source of protein is also investigated (Adeyemi and
Osubor 2016; Aguilera-Morales et al. 2018). Algae, which include both microalgae
and macroalgae, have so far gained more attention as aquatic source of proteins.
The microalgae include the diatoms, the blue-green algae, the golden algae and the
© 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_10
211
Aquatic Plants and Algae Proteins
Abstract Proteins are quite diverse group of polymers. For this reason, this book
divides proteins into three chapters—the present chapter on proteins from algae and
aquatic plants, a chapter on collagen and a third chapter on enzymes. Proteins from
aquatic plants and algae are of particular importance since they serve as a source of
plant protein which do not require land space for cultivation. As the demand for protein for nutrition rises alongside global population and arable land spaces decrease
due to desertification and demand for living space, an alternative way to grow protein is in the aquatic environment. To this end, this chapter reviews the process of
extracting proteins from aquatic plants and algae and discusses the environmental and
economic significance. In the process, chemistry and applications are also discussed.
Keywords Proteins · Algae · Aquatic · Phycobiliproteins · Biopolymer
10.1 Introduction
Proteins are rather ubiquitous; they are found in all living things. Described most
simply as the building blocks of life, proteins are biopolymers that can be found
in a wide range of organisms across the five kingdoms—animals, plants, protista,
fungi and prokaryotes. Aquatic-sourced proteins are applicable in various industries
from food to cosmetics to biomedical and many others. They have been sourced for
their nutritional value in food, skin enhancing effects in cosmetics, productions of
scaffolds in tissue engineering, catalyzing chemical processes, in the production of
biofuel, in cancer treatment and much more. Within this book, proteins are covered
in three chapters—the present chapter which covers proteins from aquatic plants and
algae, a chapter on collagen and another chapter covering enzymes.
Aquatic plants such as duckweed and water hyacinth have been investigated for
their protein components and how these can be used in applications such as animal and human nutrition as a source of protein is also investigated (Adeyemi and
Osubor 2016; Aguilera-Morales et al. 2018). Algae, which include both microalgae
and macroalgae, have so far gained more attention as aquatic source of proteins.
The microalgae include the diatoms, the blue-green algae, the golden algae and the
© 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_10
211