358
17 Future Perspectives
From the review of the environmental impact of the process for producing these
biopolymers, we see that many of these are not as benign as their end product.
Therefore, future industries need to focus efforts in ensuring the materials and energy
source used in the extraction, purification and packaging of these polymers which are
as sustainable as possible. Otherwise, the use of more fossil fuels and non-renewable
source of energy and materials in the production of renewable polymers is rather
counterproductive.
The allure of aquatic biopolymers is the third-generation polymers which do not
compete with humans and terrestrial life for land space, utilizes waste materials and
contributes to lowering the CO 2 levels in the atmosphere. In addition to these, aquatic
biopolymers also serve as a source of polymers with more diverse chemistry thereby
opening doors of possibilities for a range of materials and bioactive compounds and at
the same time providing solutions to existing global problems such as food shortage,
plastic pollution and deterioration of the global aquatic ecosystem.
As our fossil source of polymers are continually depleting, the organisms of the
ocean, seas, rivers and lakes promise a renewable source of polymers which either
already do, or could potentially, play a significant role in human survival. The ideal
aquatic polymer resource will remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, take up
nutrients from the aquatic environment it grows in thereby cleaning wastewater, will
be completely renewable, require minimal amount of energy and chemicals to extract
and be as effective in use as the terrestrial- or fossil-derived polymers.
Table 17.1 gives a summary of the polymers which has been covered within this
book; their sources, applications and repeating units form their polymeric structure. The applications listed include both the existing applications and the potential
applications which are still in early stage research.
17 Future Perspectives
From the review of the environmental impact of the process for producing these
biopolymers, we see that many of these are not as benign as their end product.
Therefore, future industries need to focus efforts in ensuring the materials and energy
source used in the extraction, purification and packaging of these polymers which are
as sustainable as possible. Otherwise, the use of more fossil fuels and non-renewable
source of energy and materials in the production of renewable polymers is rather
counterproductive.
The allure of aquatic biopolymers is the third-generation polymers which do not
compete with humans and terrestrial life for land space, utilizes waste materials and
contributes to lowering the CO 2 levels in the atmosphere. In addition to these, aquatic
biopolymers also serve as a source of polymers with more diverse chemistry thereby
opening doors of possibilities for a range of materials and bioactive compounds and at
the same time providing solutions to existing global problems such as food shortage,
plastic pollution and deterioration of the global aquatic ecosystem.
As our fossil source of polymers are continually depleting, the organisms of the
ocean, seas, rivers and lakes promise a renewable source of polymers which either
already do, or could potentially, play a significant role in human survival. The ideal
aquatic polymer resource will remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, take up
nutrients from the aquatic environment it grows in thereby cleaning wastewater, will
be completely renewable, require minimal amount of energy and chemicals to extract
and be as effective in use as the terrestrial- or fossil-derived polymers.
Table 17.1 gives a summary of the polymers which has been covered within this
book; their sources, applications and repeating units form their polymeric structure. The applications listed include both the existing applications and the potential
applications which are still in early stage research.