Insight on Polymeric Hydrogel Networks: A Sustainable Tool for the Isolation of Enzymes and Bioremediation

Abstract

Natural polymers have a wide spectrum of applications. Within them, natural polyelectrolytes have the ability to form hydrogels when placed in a suitable medium. In this sense, polymers such as chitosan, alginate, carrageenan, among others, have demonstrated their ability to form three-dimensional gels with different shapes and porosities. This capacity has been used in different fields, including in the development of new adsorbent materials with industrial application. This application is the key in terms of both reducing process costs and the industries’ environmental impact. Consequently, the development of biodegradable adsorbents composed by polymers that have high adsorption capacity, stability and reuse capacity is presented as a viable alternative to achieve these objectives. In this chapter, we will focus on the use of natural polymers to obtain gels with a high capacity for adsorption of enzymes and aqueous pollutants.