Chapter 15
Polyesters
Abstract Polyesters are characterized by a structural unit made up of ester-linked
monomers. Cutin is the main polyester found in the aquatic ecosystem. It is present
in aquatic plants where it plays a role in the regulation of water permeation. It has
potential applications in packaging films, cosmetics and biopolyester production.
The understanding of the structure, function and chemistry is also useful in developing products which mimic cutin. This chapter discusses cutin obtained from the
environment. It covers the natural sources of cutin within the aquatic environment,
its chemistry, extraction process, applications, environmental implications of cutin
production and the present state of its commercial production.
Keywords Cutin · Polyester · Biopolymer · Aquatic plants · Cuticle
15.1 Introduction
The main polyesters found in aquatic environment are cutin and suberin. These
polyesters are the most native feature in plants. Although previously thought to be
absent in all aquatic plants, cutin is now known to be present in a number of aquatic
plants and makes up the bulk of the dry mass of the cuticle. Traces of suberin have
been found in the water facing part of the aquatic plant. The presence of traces of
suberin in the water facing part of aquatic plant suggests it is playing a similar role
as the terrestrial plant suberin present in the root. Suberin is present in a much lower
quantity than cutin, and therefore, this chapter will focus more on cutin as the main
polyester found in aquatic plants.
Cutin constitutes the bulk of the cuticle by mass and serves as a matrix holding the wax and other components of the cuticle. Based on the available findings
from study of the biochemistry of the cuticle, the role of cutin in aquatic plant is
thought to be UV protection and as a barrier to protect against pathogen attack
and external environmental stress. The protection against pathogen is possible due
to its physicochemical properties which discourage cell/microbe attachments and
protection against microbe is possibly due to the mechanical properties and stability.
Although methods to isolate long-chain polyester cutin are underway, methods
for extraction of cutin monomers and oligomers have been presented in literature and
© 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_15
333
Polyesters
Abstract Polyesters are characterized by a structural unit made up of ester-linked
monomers. Cutin is the main polyester found in the aquatic ecosystem. It is present
in aquatic plants where it plays a role in the regulation of water permeation. It has
potential applications in packaging films, cosmetics and biopolyester production.
The understanding of the structure, function and chemistry is also useful in developing products which mimic cutin. This chapter discusses cutin obtained from the
environment. It covers the natural sources of cutin within the aquatic environment,
its chemistry, extraction process, applications, environmental implications of cutin
production and the present state of its commercial production.
Keywords Cutin · Polyester · Biopolymer · Aquatic plants · Cuticle
15.1 Introduction
The main polyesters found in aquatic environment are cutin and suberin. These
polyesters are the most native feature in plants. Although previously thought to be
absent in all aquatic plants, cutin is now known to be present in a number of aquatic
plants and makes up the bulk of the dry mass of the cuticle. Traces of suberin have
been found in the water facing part of the aquatic plant. The presence of traces of
suberin in the water facing part of aquatic plant suggests it is playing a similar role
as the terrestrial plant suberin present in the root. Suberin is present in a much lower
quantity than cutin, and therefore, this chapter will focus more on cutin as the main
polyester found in aquatic plants.
Cutin constitutes the bulk of the cuticle by mass and serves as a matrix holding the wax and other components of the cuticle. Based on the available findings
from study of the biochemistry of the cuticle, the role of cutin in aquatic plant is
thought to be UV protection and as a barrier to protect against pathogen attack
and external environmental stress. The protection against pathogen is possible due
to its physicochemical properties which discourage cell/microbe attachments and
protection against microbe is possibly due to the mechanical properties and stability.
Although methods to isolate long-chain polyester cutin are underway, methods
for extraction of cutin monomers and oligomers have been presented in literature and
© 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_15
333