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Uses of Sodium Alginate & Sargassum Seaweeds

Alginates are cell-wall forming materials found in brown algae or Phaeophyceae. Their principal organic constituents are chain-forming hetero-polysaccharides, guluronic acid and mannuronic acid. While alginates may seem to occur in most species of brown algae, they are extractable only in larger species such as kelps and wracks. Sargassum is brown seaweeds that have recently migrated from its original habitat in Japan to the shores of Ireland. They are sometimes injurious to health particularly outside their original range.

  1. Emulsifier

    • Sodium alginate finds its applications as a stabilizer and as an emulsifier. It was once used in textile printing industry. But, things have changed since the upheaval of textile industry as well as the changes in textile fashions. Till today, sodium alginate is used in ice cream and dairy products to enhance flavor and taste.

    Fibers

    • Sodium alginate molecules are nonpolar in nature. So they are insoluble in polar solvents, like water. This property of sodium alginate has led to the development of high quality fibers which can be used in the textile industry. Sodium alginate fibers also are used to weave bandages for larger wounds and burns. Also, they can be removed much more easily as compared to cellulose-based bandages. The hard part of sodium alginate fibers are used in the manufacturing of firefighter's fire-proof clothing.

    Common Uses

    • Sargassum seaweed has many applications. In some parts of the world, it is used as a fertilizer. Sargassum seaweeds are a preferred additive used to create a specific flavor in many Japanese dishes like soy sauce. Sargassum seaweed is a shelter for many marine animals as it is an ideal hiding place from predators. It is also and abundant food source for them.

    Sargassum Seaweeds as Vegetables

    • People living alongside the seashores of Japan, often eat fresh sargassum seaweeds as vegetables. The Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association (JAMIA) claimed that sargassum seaweeds promote weight loss by discharging more water thought urination.

    Medicinal Applications

    • Sargassum seaweed has been used as a topical medicine to treat goiters (the bump in the neck due to the enlargement of thyroid gland) in some provinces of China. It is salty and bitter in taste. Iodine deficiency leads to the swelling of thyroid gland because without iodine thyroid gland cannot produce enough thyroxin--a critical hormone secreted by thyroid gland--in order to maintain body metabolism. Sargassum seaweeds guarantee a continuous supply of dietary iodine. In addition, sargassum seaweed promotes the excretion of urine and reduces edema. It is also prescribed to alleviate pain from swollen testes and hernia.

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