Synthesis and characterization of sodium salt of homopolymannuronate and its calcium nanoparticles

Natural polysaccharides as biopolymers have attracted more attention due to their unique properties during recent years [1]. These polymers can be described as linear binary copolymersof 1–4-linked M and G residues arranged with homopolymeric regions of α-L-guluronic acid residues (G-blocks) and ahomopolymeric region of β-D-mannuronic acid sequences (Mblocks) interspersed by regions in which the two groups coexist in a strictly alternating sequence (MG-blocks). Theproperty of cross-linking of alginate’s salts such as sodium alginate by divalent calcium cations afforded that calciumalginate gels known as excellent carriers for a variety of drugs in drug delivery systems [2]. The aim of this work is theproduction of calcium polymannuronate nanoparticles with mean particle size under 100 nm and comparison of them with calcium alginate nanoparticles.