Biochemical, thermal, and functional characterization of released polymeric substances of Neowestiellopsis sp. strain VKB03

Synthetic polymers are widely used in forming plastic, food additives, pharmacopolymers and developing cosmetic formulations in the industry. However, the non-biodegradable properties of synthetic polymers have resulted in significant and irreversible ecological negative impacts. Over the past few decades, there has been a significant surge in the demand for environmentally friendly and bio-based products. On the verge of finding natural polymers, cyanobacterial released polymers play a promising role in safeguarding nature. In the present study, we have extracted released polymeric substances (RPSs) from Neowestiellopsis sp. strain VKB03. The biochemical analyses of RPSs revealed the presence of carbohydrates, proteins, and DNA, garnered with both inorganic and organic substituents. RPSs showed excellent functional, thermal, and antioxidant properties. FT-IR data revealed the presence of various functional groups and glycosidic linkage. Experimental results showed a good water holding capacity (1822.5 ± 1.2 %), an oil holding capacity (144.0 ± 0.6 %), and water solubility index (30 ± 0.8 %). Thermal gravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry analyses have shown excellent thermostable properties. The bioflocculation and emulsifying activity further proves RPSs as an alternative for synthetic polymers in many commercially established industrial sectors. Structurally, glycan-peptide and circular dichroism analyses reveal o-linked glycosylation and random coil conformation respectively. Microstructure analysis and XRD pattern reveal the irregular shape and amorphous nature of RPSs respectively. The findings of this study indicate that cyanobacterial RPSs provides a promising approach for leveraging utilization in diverse domains of industrial sectors.