Calcium alginate  is a chemical compound, ammonium salt of alginic acid and is derived from Algin, a natural biodegradable component, a biological polysaccharide and colloidal carbohydrate. It is obtained by the reaction of alginic acid with a solution containing calcium hydroxide.

The name describes the structure of the molecule:

• Calcium is the calcium ion (Ca2+), which is an alkaline earth metal.
• Alginate is a polysaccharide derived from alginic acid, which is abundant in the cell walls of brown algae.

It appears in the form of a white powder.

What it is used for and where

Food

Ingredient listed in the European food additives list as E404, thickener.

Medical

It is used to treat wounds, abrasions, burns, diabetic foot ulcers, leg ulcers.

Cosmetics

Fragrance. It plays a decisive and important role in the formulation of cosmetic products as it provides the possibility of enhancing, masking or adding fragrance to the final product, increasing its marketability.  The consumer always expects to find a pleasant or distinctive scent in a cosmetic product.

Viscosity control agent. It controls and adapts viscosity to the required level for optimal chemical and physical stability of the product and dosage in gels, suspensions, emulsions, solutions. 

Studi più significativi

Calcium alginate hydrogels have a three-dimensional (3D) network structure capable of transporting drugs and proteins that are beneficial for tissue regeneration and can therefore release these drugs or proteins in a stable manner at the affected sites (1).

The use of microorganisms in bioabsorption is one of the most promising ways to remove trace amounts of heavy metal ions. However, the improvement of effective removal of heavy metal ions using different combinations of bioabsorbents is generally not guaranteed. In this study, Candida krusei and calcium alginate are evaluated for their ability to remove copper (CaAlg)(2).

Molecular Formula : C₁₈H₂₄CaO₁₉  (C₆H₇Ca₁/2O₆)n  (C₁₂H₁₄CaO₁₂)n

Molecular Weight: 584.449

CAS: 9005-35-0

EC number:   618-413-5

Synonyms:

• Alginic Acid Calcium Salt
• SC-65208
• A0738

References________________________________________________________________________

(1) Laroui H., Dalmasso G., Nguyen H.T., Yan Y., Sitaraman S.V., Merlin D. Drug-loaded nanoparticles targeted to the colon with polysaccharide hydrogel reduce colitis in a mouse model. Gastroenterology. 2010;138:843–853. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2009.11.003.

(2) Luk CHJ, Yip J, Yuen CWM, Pang SK, Lam KH, Kan CW. Biosorption Performance of Encapsulated Candida krusei for the removal of Copper(II).   Sci Rep. 2017 May 19;7(1):2159. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-02350-7.