It is a significant component of the biofilms produced by the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a major pathogen found in the lungs of some people who have cystic fibrosis.

[7] Commercial grade alginate is extracted from giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera, Ascophyllum nodosum, and types of Laminaria.

Alginates are also produced by two bacterial genera Pseudomonas and Azotobacter, which played a major role in the unravelling of its biosynthesis pathway.

[4] Pre-treatments mainly aim at either breaking the cell wall to help extract the alginate, or removing other compounds and contaminants from the algae.

[4] Common treatments to remove contaminants include treatments with ethanol and formaldehyde, the latter of which is very common; ethanol solutions help remove compounds bonded to the alginate, and formaldehyde solutions help prevent enzymatic or microbial reactions.

[4] After the alginin is precipitated into a fine paste, it is dried, ground to the desired grain size, and finally purified through a variety of techniques.

[10] Calcium salts added to a sodium alginate solution to induce ionic cross-linking, which produces the hydrogel.

[10] The fabric, which can be used in wound dressing and other applications, is produced by carding and then needle punching [clarification needed] the fibers.

[10] It is particularly useful as a biomaterial because of its nontoxicity, hygroscopicity, and biocompatibility, and can imitate local bioenvironments; its degradation product can be easily cleared by the kidneys.

[10] Alginate absorbs water quickly, which makes it useful as an additive in dehydrated products such as slimming aids, and in the manufacture of paper and textiles.

[citation needed] Sodium alginate is used as an impression-making material in dentistry, prosthetics, lifecasting, and for creating positives for small-scale casting.

[citation needed] In research on bone reconstruction, alginate composites have favorable properties encouraging regeneration, such as improved porosity, cell proliferation, and mechanical strength.

[19] Thiolated alginates are used as in situ gelling hydrogels,[20] and are under preliminary research as possible mucoadhesive drug delivery systems.

[21] Alginate hydrogels may be used for drug delivery, exhibiting responses to pH changes, temperature changes, redox, and the presence of enzymes.