Biomaterials The rising tide of
eaweed is, simply put, having a boom moment. Last year, Allied Market Research valued the global seaweed market at around $7.5bn in 2024 and projected it could reach roughly $18.1bn by 2034. There are varied dynamics underpinning this. Popular components and derivatives of seaweed – agar, carrageenan and alginate – are growing in popularity in food production. Celebrity chefs boast about cooking with it; influencers boast about its weight loss potential. There is also widespread use in farming, animal feed and as an energy source. And with its thickening, stabilising and gelling properties, it has a long application in medicine, too. Indeed, medicine is one of the major application sectors for seaweed- derived compounds, though behind food and industrial uses.
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Alginate has long had medical applications. A 2003 paper in Acta Chirurgica Belgica notes ancient references, such as Theophrastus writing about seaweed’s soothing properties, though this link to sunburn relief is largely anecdotal. Alginate dressings were first developed around the time of the Second World War for managing burns and wounds, with subsequent interest in their fluid absorption properties. A forerunner to the alginate-based gelling wound dressings that are widespread today. Indeed, such dressings became more widespread in the 1980s when alginates (calcium and sodium salts were used as part of the gelation process) could achieve a broader use after the introduction of hydrocolloids, hydrogels, films and foams as workable healthcare solutions. A notable example of this is when calcium-sodium alginate was used in a dressing that forms a gel on contact with wound exudate, maintaining a moist environment conducive to healing. That is hardly the only medical firm using alginates. Indeed, as David Warde, product development manager for advanced wound care at Solventum – the healthcare business spun out of 3M and completed as an independent company in 2024 – lays out that alginates are a “key component” in both legacy wound dressings at Solventum and in new bioactive solutions that can accelerate the body’s own healing process. “Alginates have a long and trusted history in wound
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seaweed
Alginate, carrageenan and other algal biopolymers are moving beyond packaging and wound dressings into implantable scaffolds and biosensor substrates. Dan Cave gets insight from David Warde, product development manager for advanced wound care at Solventum, to discuss mechanical strength, bioactivity, sterilisation routes and manufacturability of marine-derived biomaterials – and assess the environmental case, regulatory precedents and translational gaps that developers must clear.
care because they are safe, reliable and effective for wound management,” he says, adding that because of their fluid absorption and ability to make a moist environment, they are perfect for healing and can be used in combination to create effective health outcomes. “Our Silvercel dressings also incorporate the antimicrobial properties of silver, offering an added benefit for managing the wound environment.” Indeed, in the alginate and wider algal biopolymers, the market doesn’t stand still. Especially in medical applications. There is movement beyond packaging and wound dressings into research on implantable scaffolds, critical for regenerative medicine. This isn’t to say applicative progression is linear – as new applications will have to operate successfully in new environments as well as showcase easy enough manufacturability, as well as regulatory adherence and benefit the environmental agenda.
Accessible alginates
It is clear to see why alginates have a strong history of medical application. For one, the base material is readily available, and manufacturing processes for its common medical uses are straightforward. It can bond well with calcium and sodium (making it usable) and it is easily turned into a gel. “Clinicians and patients have trusted alginate dressings for decades to effectively manage wounds, particularly chronic wounds that require long-term care,” says Warde. Furthermore, alginates aren’t recognised by the human body as toxins (high non-antigenicity and biocompatibility), which is critical for not triggering an immune response when used. They can also have their characteristics fine-tuned, are biodegradable and, because of their structural similarity to the human extracellular matrix, they provide a blank slate or structure for regenerative medicines, which are increasingly coming to the fore.
They are among the most abundantly biosynthesised marine biopolymers, according to a 2013 article in Materials (Basel).
They are used in various hydrogels: for example, gastroprotective formulations for conditions such as acid reflux and peptic ulcer management.
www.medicaldevice-developments.com
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