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Adsorbents for Apheresis Prepared from Polysaccharides of Algae that Threaten Ecosystem Services
Author(s) -
Kanno Kenichi,
Tanigawa Tetsuya,
Fujita Yoshihiro,
Ohnaka Naoto,
Kubo Yuichiro,
Yoshida Kaito,
Kojima Kota,
Nakata Koshiro,
Shimohara Masafumi
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
chemistry and biodiversity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.427
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1612-1880
pISSN - 1612-1872
DOI - 10.1002/cbdv.201400108
Subject(s) - polysaccharide , chitosan , chemistry , glutaraldehyde , self healing hydrogels , apheresis , urea , algae , aqueous solution , albumin , adsorption , dialysis , chromatography , biochemistry , polymer chemistry , botany , organic chemistry , surgery , biology , medicine , platelet , immunology
Abstract In this work, we investigated whether materials isolated from algae that threaten ecosystems can be used for human benefit. We converted acidic polysaccharides (ulvan) from the alga Ulva pertusa into soft hydrogel materials. In addition to ulvan, the hydrogels also contained alginate in a polyion complex with chitosan. Cross‐linking the hydrogel with glutaraldehyde reduced polysaccharide elution from the polyion complex gel. We also found that both ulvanchitosan and alginatechitosan gels were able to remove urea and heavy metals from aqueous solution. This is clinically significant, since during apheresis, toxic compounds such as urea have to be removed from the bloodstream of patients. Importantly, albumin was not removed by the hydrogels, implying that this vital protein can be returned to the bloodstream following dialysis.