Alginates - structure, properties, applications

Alginates are salts of alginic acid, natural polymers and polysaccharides. They are usually obtained from marine algae. Their solutions often take the form of a gel. The first references to alginates appeared in 1881, so over the years these compounds have been thoroughly studied. Alginates have a lot of valuable properties, which is why they are used in many industries, from stabilizers in the food industry through additives for wound dressings to substances used in bone and muscle regeneration in medicine.