Used in biomedical research for studying alginate structure and function, as it is a key component of alginates derived from brown seaweed. Plays a role in developing hydrogels for drug delivery and tissue engineering due to its ability to form stable gels with divalent cations like calcium. Also investigated for its potential immunomodulatory properties and use in wound healing applications. Employed in microbiology and biochemistry to analyze enzyme activity, particularly alginate lyases. Its sodium salt form enhances solubility, making it suitable for aqueous-based experiments and formulations.