Chapter 14
Cellulose
Abstract The most abundant polymer on earth is also present in the aquatic environment, produced by aquatic plants, algae and cellulose-producing bacteria. Cellulose
can be modified into various forms such as cellulose nanofibers and methyl cellulose,
and it finds diverse applications in various industries which include textiles, paper and
energy. The feasible commercial production of bioethanol from cellulosic biomass
is limited due to the stable structure of cellulose which makes it less susceptible to
hydrolysis. However, cellulose from aquatic biomass may serve other industries such
as textiles where the unique chemistry of aquatic-derived cellulose has some desirable properties. Extraction of cellulose from biomass reduces the methane released
into the environment from the degradation of dead aquatic plant and algae biomass.
Keywords Cellulose · Polysaccharide · Polymers · Hydrolysis · Cellulase
14.1 Introduction
Cellulose occurs in the aquatic ecosystem in aquatic plants, algae and cellulosic
bacteria. Aquatic plants which serve as sources of cellulose include water hyacinth,
duckweed, Azolla and many other aquatic plants whose cell wall comprises of cellulose, a prominent feature in plants. Algae sources include red, brown and green
macroalgae, where cellulose also plays a structural role in the cell walls. While bacteria such as acetobacter are also sources of high-quality cellulose, this chapter is
focused on cellulose from aquatic sources. Therefore, much of the discussion shall
be on plant and algae sourced cellulose.
Cellulose is a biopolymer of huge industrial significance. Cellulose is the most
abundant polymer on earth, and this extends to cellulose sourced from the aquatic
ecosystem. Exploring the availability of cellulose in the aquatic environment would
further expand the ubiquity of cellulose. More importantly, the aquatic environment
serving as an additional or alternative source of cellulose for certain industrial application could pose some significant advantage to the environment and commerce by
reducing the strain on land-based cellulose sources and potentially offering lowercost processing. Cellulose in aquatic organism is generally free from lignin and
hemicellulose, which are either completely absent or present in much lower amounts
© 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_14
311
Cellulose
Abstract The most abundant polymer on earth is also present in the aquatic environment, produced by aquatic plants, algae and cellulose-producing bacteria. Cellulose
can be modified into various forms such as cellulose nanofibers and methyl cellulose,
and it finds diverse applications in various industries which include textiles, paper and
energy. The feasible commercial production of bioethanol from cellulosic biomass
is limited due to the stable structure of cellulose which makes it less susceptible to
hydrolysis. However, cellulose from aquatic biomass may serve other industries such
as textiles where the unique chemistry of aquatic-derived cellulose has some desirable properties. Extraction of cellulose from biomass reduces the methane released
into the environment from the degradation of dead aquatic plant and algae biomass.
Keywords Cellulose · Polysaccharide · Polymers · Hydrolysis · Cellulase
14.1 Introduction
Cellulose occurs in the aquatic ecosystem in aquatic plants, algae and cellulosic
bacteria. Aquatic plants which serve as sources of cellulose include water hyacinth,
duckweed, Azolla and many other aquatic plants whose cell wall comprises of cellulose, a prominent feature in plants. Algae sources include red, brown and green
macroalgae, where cellulose also plays a structural role in the cell walls. While bacteria such as acetobacter are also sources of high-quality cellulose, this chapter is
focused on cellulose from aquatic sources. Therefore, much of the discussion shall
be on plant and algae sourced cellulose.
Cellulose is a biopolymer of huge industrial significance. Cellulose is the most
abundant polymer on earth, and this extends to cellulose sourced from the aquatic
ecosystem. Exploring the availability of cellulose in the aquatic environment would
further expand the ubiquity of cellulose. More importantly, the aquatic environment
serving as an additional or alternative source of cellulose for certain industrial application could pose some significant advantage to the environment and commerce by
reducing the strain on land-based cellulose sources and potentially offering lowercost processing. Cellulose in aquatic organism is generally free from lignin and
hemicellulose, which are either completely absent or present in much lower amounts
© 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_14
311