The Realm of Biopolymers and Their Usage: An Overview

Journal of Environmental Treatment Techniques

2020, Volume 8, Issue 2, Pages: 1005-1016

J. Environ. Treat. Tech.

ISSN: 2309-1185

Journal weblink: http://www.jett.dormaj.com

The Realm of Biopolymers and Their Usage: An

Overview

Jyoti Aggarwal , Swati Sharma *, Hesam Kamyab , and Ashok Kumar

¹University Institute of Biotechnology (UIBT), Chandigarh University, Mohali, Punjab- 140413 India

Department of Engineering, Razak Faculty of Technology and Informatics, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), 54100 Jalan

Sultan Yahya Petra, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Waknaghat, Solan Himachal

Pradesh- 173 234 India

Received: 07/02/2020

Accepted: 03/04/2020

Published: 20/05/2020

Abstract

Biopolymers are emerging as an advanced business sector progressively and gained the attention of researchers and

industrialists. Polymeric materials are useful due to their flexibility, reusability and toughness nature. These biopolymers can be

the amalgamated with various kinds of natural and synthetic materials to synthesize polymeric composites. Such composite

materials have comparable properties to oil‐based polymers. Biopolymers also play an essential role in the drug and pharmaceutical

industry. These can be utilized for industrial purposes, for instance, to regenerate damage, medication administration in addition to

regenerative medicine to achieve, low immunogenicity, high pharmacological activity. Several biopolymers are described in this

article. There are various mechanisms to produce biopolymers. There are diverse forms of biopolymers that originated from

microbes, animals and plants. Biopolymers play a significant role in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. These are

extensively used in medical equipment, cosmetics, confectionery, wastewater treatments, food additives, textiles and in bio-sensing

applications. Numerous possible applications, along with the production form of biopolymers, are reviewed in this article.

Keywords: Biopolymers, Circular economy, Keratin, Collagen, Cellulose

Introduction

Biopolymers are produced from living creatures as the

immobilization system of yeast cells (Saccharomyces sp.) for

liquor utilising κ-carrageenan beads is one of the popular

example in liquor industry. Ethanol production through glucose

by utilizing cells of Zymomonas mobilis immobilized in κ-

carrageenan was studied in a fluidized bed fermenter. The whole

cells of Streptomyces aureofaciens immobilized in κ-

carrageenan were also used for the production of tetracycline

and chlorotetracycline. Biopolymers have also immense

applications in bioremediation and pesticide degradation. The

degradation of Pentachlorophenol in contaminated soil was

performed using Pseudomonas sp. UG30 cells immobilized

onto κ-carrageenan (7). The biopolymers of animal origin such

as chitin, keratin and collagen also have various applications in

the food and pharmaceutical industry. In this review, we

highlighted the sources, extraction, production and applications

of all these biopolymers.

polymeric structural- substances that exhibited properties such

as strength, steadiness and flexibility. These include parts of

crops or plants or o btained from various kinds of animals and

microorganisms (1, 2). These immediately overlap to acquire

different shapes and profoundly delicate structures with a high

level of strong security. The significant plant biopolymers

origin are cellulose, pectin, hemicellulo se and lignin, which

have immense industrial importance (3, 4). The marine fauna

and flora also impart a significant fraction of biopolymeric

ingredients. Biopolymers have been classified on the basis of

biological nature such as proteins, carbohydrates, lipid wax,

polyphenols nucleic acids and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA)

(

2). These are generated from renewable sources i.e. natural

resources and are readily degradable by enzymatic action

because of the presence of peptide and glycosidic bonds. The

byproducts of biodegradation of biopolymers are H

2 2

O, SO

CO , and other organic materials. Biopolymers are thus

naturally converted into reusable material by biological

processes (5). Alginate, are abundantly present in brown algae

Role of biopolymers and importance in

nature

Living creatures produce a wide range of polymers as a

(pheophyta) of the genera “Ascophyllum, Cystoseira,

significant part of their morphological, cellular and dry matter.

These biopolymers play a vital role in the life cycle of organisms

to support their essential metabolic and cellular activities. A

schematic diagram has been presented in Fig. 1. Biopolymers

are produced in the cytoplasm, organelles, cytoplasmic

membrane, cell wall components, and the surface of cells even

Macrocystis, Laminaria, Alario, Eisenia, Nercocystis, and

Sargassum. Another important biopolymer is Carrageenan,

obtained by extraction from red seaweeds (Rhodophyta). The

significant genera used for the removal of carrageenan are

Chondrus crispus, Eucheuma Gigartina, and Hypnea (6). The

Corresponing author: (a) Swati Sharma, University Institute of Biotechnology (UIBT), Chandigarh University, Mohali, Punjab-

40413 India. E-mail: sspandit.89@gmail.com.

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Journal of Environmental Treatment Techniques

2020, Volume 8, Issue 2, Pages: 1005-1016

extracellularly by enzymatic processes. Synthesis of

predator and fight with various animals for their defence (12,

14).

biopolymer may be commenced in one part of a cell and then

maybe continued in another role as it happens. Many

biopolymers can be extracted from plants and algae, which build

up in organic habitats. For example, nutrient agar and alginin

are extracted from genus Gelidium red algae or from numerous

brown algae, also known as seaweeds (8). Hyaluronic acid is an

exception, which is taken out from the umbilical cords of

newborn children. Some biopolymers are in vitro synthesized

with the help of purified enzymes in cell-free systems. For

example, in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) monodisperse

defined DNA molecules are developed from heat resistant DNA

polymerases. One more example is dextran, produced from

isolated dextran sucrose (8). Biopolymers, e.g. starch, dextran

can be provided through fermentation processes in industries.

The biological production of biopolymers may occur

intracellularly or extracellularly, which creates trouble in the

downstream processing of the biopolymers in a purified state

The turtles have a durable sheath in which carapace has

elevated proportion of α/β-keratin. Nails are a significant source

of α-keratin. In primates, nails of fingers highlight at t he time of

battling, scraping and to open some objects (12, 14). The

enzymes are generally utilized for the transformation of

keratinous squander into feed, manures and fertilizers. The

microbial catalyst (protease, e.g. keratinases) acts on keratinous

protein substra tes and discharges free amino (– NH ) group

molecules (12, 15). Keratin is present in cattle hides, goatskins,

sheepskins, and buffalo hides. The major sources of keratin

sources are appendages, skin, fingernails, hairs of the h ead,

cloven hoof, scute, a layer of skin feathers, and wool (11, 16).

Keratin is composed of amino acid chains with numerous

functional groups, both on the spine and side chains, which can

tie metal particles and colours (17, 18). It is among the most

plenteous and often immaculate non-food proteins.

Consistently, over 5 million tons of keratin squander is created

on the planet (19). A few investigations were demonstrated that

the keratin nanoparticles were utilized for the finding of Crystal

Violet from watery medium (20). Keratin from quills used to

make strands, films, hydrogels, miniaturized scale and

nanoparticles with the end goal of food, clinical, cosmetolo gy,

material, composite, farming and different businesses (17, 18,

(

8).

Analysis of various biopolymers with their

applications

.1 Biopolymers of animal origin and their applications

.1.1 Keratin

Keratin is an organic material, which speaks to a gathering

1).

The nearness of keratin in the skin layer and hair fingernail

of cysteine-rich fil ament proteins. It is a member of a fibrous

protein family (9, 10). For the epidermal appendages such as

talons, neb, nails, w ool, hair, horns and plume, it acts as a

safeguard sheet (11, 12). On the basis of auxiliary order, the

protein is categorized as α and β keratin. In water keratin is

insoluble; and can be partially assimilated through proteolysis,

for example, pepsin, papain or trypsin.

skin helps in holding dampness in the skin by interfacing with

beautifying agents. Plumes can be utilized to make

thermoplastic sh ield for bundling of food and different

applications (12, 16, 22). Keratinolytic enzymes are produced

by bacteria and fungi that help to degrade the waste biomass.

Bacilli create a lot of keratinolytic proteins and actinomycetes

additionally add to keratin debasement. Microorganisms are

used for quill debasement as it is profitable and naturally safe

type of the persistently amassed squander the executives (14).

The commercial use of keratin from waste biomass not only

protects the ecosystem but also boost up the cosmetics and

pharmaceutical industry (11, 23). In a previous study, polyvinyl

liquor filaments that contain keratin were utilized as permeable

for harmful material such as substantial alloy particles and

formalin it indicates the porous nature of keratin particles (12,

2). Also, for the delivery of drugs keratin particles were mostly

used because of its durability, low reactivity, auxiliary, and

excellent mechanical stability. Being a standard polymer,

keratins have the edge as it is rich in amide, carboxyl, hydroxyl,

just as sulfhydryl, and these functional groups increase their

interaction with naturally unique atoms. A nano-based PEG-

instigated keratin composite was used for drug delivery (12).

Food processing industry, particularly slaughterhouse, wool

industry produces millions of tones of keratin containing

biomass. The monomeric units of ordinary keratin can penetrate

the skin and hair fingernail skin and protect the skin without any

responses (1). Keratin is also a fair source of nitrogen used as

an ingredient of fertilizers (24, 25). Keratin based crest having

high surface area were used as anode material in

electrochemistry (26). Keratin squanders can be used in

cowhide tanning. Keratin hydrolysate is used in filling cum

holding in cowhide (27). The various biopolymers of animal

origin and their applications are listed in Table 1.

Fig. 1: Biological role of biopolymers in living organisms

Furthermore, their complex structures like nanofiber lattice

structure and the polypeptide chains make a barrier to save from

warm pressure morbific intrusions (especially by epidermis),

machine-like harm, and so on (13, 14). Epithelial cells are the

most extravagant compartment for keratinous auxiliary protein.

Hairs assume a significant job of security against residue and

pathogens (hairs in nostril). Bovid animals like cow, waterbuck,

sheep, buffalo, and gazelle pass on keratinous material as horn.

Horns act as a weapon, sometime(s) as a shield to protect from

.1.2 Collagen

Collagen is the vital auxiliary biopolymer synthesized by

fibroblasts and 20–30% of total body proteins of mammals.

They are rod-shaped, and collagen has 300 kDa molecular

weight (28). The body can efficiently absorb it and has

extremely low immunogenicity.

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