The properties of bioactive substances obtained from seaweeds and their applications in textile industries

Technical textiles are one of the fastest emergent sectors of textile industries worldwide. Medical textiles and healthcare textiles are the most important development areas within technical textiles. A rapid advancement in the health care and hygiene sector together with an increase in health consciousness has made medical textiles an important field. In order to protect people against harmful pathogens, an antimicrobial textile has been developed and as a result, finishes began to evolve in recent years. A critical problem regarding healthcare and hygiene products chemical based synthetic antimicrobial finishes or coatings for infection control. To provide the potential solution and to avoid such critical problem, seaweeds may be used. Seaweeds are plant-like organisms that commonly live attached to rocks in the coastal areas. Seaweeds of brown, green and red colour contain major pigments such as chlorophyll, carotenoids, phycobiliproteins, beta carotene and lutein; these are used for the extraction of natural dyes in textiles. Marine macroalgae (seaweeds) is rich in bioactive compounds that could potentially be exploited as functional ingredients with potential medicinal, health care or pharmaceutical activities for both human and animal health applications. The present review discusses the research potential of different bioactive compounds and its salient features that are mainly responsible for the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties present in seaweeds and their applications in the area of medical textiles.