Applications of Natural and Synthetic Melanins as Biosorbents and Adhesive Coatings
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pISSN 1226-8372 eISSN 1976-3816
REVIEW PAPER
Applications of Natural and Synthetic Melanins as Biosorbents and Adhesive Coatings SeoA Park, Changgu Lee, Jechan Lee, Seungho Jung, and Kwon-Young Choi
Received: 16 March 2020 / Revised: 28 April 2020 / Accepted: 28 April 2020 © The Korean Society for Biotechnology and Bioengineering and Springer 2020
Abstract Natural and synthetic melanins are promising pigments for several uses, such as biosorbents and bioadhesives. Further, their high biocompatibilities and excellent biological activities potentially allow them to be ideal biomaterials for environmental and biotechnological applications. Naturally occurring melanin has been used as a biosorbent for the environmental treatment of organic chemicals and for metal ion removal, and melanins have been chemically engineered to function more efficiently. In addition, melanin has been engineered for use as an adhesive coating material, and its polymeric properties have been enhanced for medical applications. Clearly, given melanin’s high biocompatibility and biodegradability, it is a very viable biopolymer for further applications in environmental biotechnology fields. In this review, we highlight the uses of melanin as a biosorbent and bioadhesive in biotechnology fields. Keywords: melanin, pigment, biosorption, bioadhesive, biocompatibility
1. Introduction Melanin is a well-known natural pigment found throughout most of the biosphere [1,2]. Melanin-producing cells are
SeoA Park, Kwon-Young Choi* Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Ajou University, Suwon 16499, Korea Tel: +82-31-219-1825; Fax: +82-31-219-1613 E-mail: [email protected] Changgu Lee, Jechan Lee, Seungho Jung, Kwon-Young Choi Department of Environmental and Safety Engineering, College of Engineering, Ajou University, Suwon 16499, Korea
found in various sources, including microorganisms, plants, insects, and higher organisms [3,4]. Briefly, melanin is a biopolymer synthesized through the random polymerization of building blocks such as L-tyrosine, cysteinyldopas, Lphenylalanine, homogentisate, dihydroxynaphthalene, and phenolic precursors [5,6]. Depending on the nature of these building blocks, the synthetic pathways, and the coloration, melanins are categorized into several classes, including eumelanin, pheomelanin, neuromelanin, allomelanin, and pyomelanin [7]. Due to melanin’s unique properties and functionality, it has been applied in a variety of biological, physiological, and physical settings despite its complex polymer structure [8-10]. Although many studies have examined melanin’s structure and its relationship to melanin’s unique properties, the characteristics of melanin-based polymers remain poorly understood [11-13]. The basic structure of eumelanin, for example, was reported to consist of dihydroxyindole (DHI) and dihydroxyindole carboxylic acid (DHICA) building blocks, which commonly feature indole-rings in their bicyclic structures [14]. Various physiological activities, such as UV radiation protection and anti
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