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The potential of photosynthetic aquatic species as sources of useful cellulose fibers—a review

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Abstract

Photosynthetic aquatic species, i.e., micro- and macroalgae and fresh or salt water plants, contain cellulose or other fibrous materials potentially suitable for paper making. Photosynthetic aquatic species having cellulosic or fibrous characteristics necessary for paper production were reviewed. These characteristics include overall fiber content, fiber size and morphology, and fiber composition. Several species of algae and aquatic plants are reported to possess cellulose in quantities greater than 10 % of total dry weight, and in general, the cellulose content in aquatic species is lower than that of most wood species. Commercial application of these aquatic algal or plant materials has been limited to simple milling, and no commercial applications utilizing processes to isolate the cellulosic fibers from these materials have yet been found.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank David Johnson and Ashutosh Mittal for technical input. The funding for this project was provided by Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Neenah, WI.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Bioenergy Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 15013 Denver West Parkway, Golden, CO, 80401, USA

    Eric P. Knoshaug & Philip T. Pienkos

  2. Corporate Research and Engineering, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Neenah, WI, 54956, USA

    Bo Shi & Mark M. Mleziva

  3. Family Care Research and Development, North Atlantic Consumer Products, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Neenah, WI, 54956, USA

    Tom G. Shannon

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  1. Eric P. Knoshaug
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  2. Bo Shi
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Correspondence to Eric P. Knoshaug.

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Knoshaug, E.P., Shi, B., Shannon, T.G. et al. The potential of photosynthetic aquatic species as sources of useful cellulose fibers—a review. J Appl Phycol 25, 1123–1134 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-012-9958-2

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