**5. Alginate and AI in biomedical fields**

Smart biomedical and medical packaging with the application of polymers is a generally and rapidly growing area of interest for academia and industries. Among a variety of polymers such as alginate, many uses have been created such as in biomedical field, medicine, packaging, and food sector [50]. For example, in modern drug delivery systems, a mesh completed of nanofibers created by the electrospinning process is highly desired. Electro-spinning for biomedicine is based on the application of natural substances and biopolymers, along with the mixture of drugs such as sulfisoxazole, naproxen, and essential oils with antibacterial properties such as eugenol and tocopherol. In recent times, there has been an enormous thrust in the usage of biopolymers for a number of applications, especially in the biomedical and also in pharmaceutical areas [51, 52]. The functional effectiveness of the biopolymer molecules depends on the physicochemical properties, structural features, and composition [53]. It is feasible to rationally design the structure and composition of the biopolymer to gain suitable useful features [54]. The internal structure of the polymer molecule determines many functional characteristics, for example permeability, integrity, and chargeability [55]. The strength of the biopolymer particles and their summative capability is influenced by the electrical characteristics. Molecules of biopolymers and their electrical properties influence the contact with other molecules present in the neighboring environment. Alginate is one of the most popular natural biopolymers and intensely studied [56, 57]. It is an anionic biopolymer consisting of units of guluronic acid and mannuronic acid in uneven blocks [58]. Guluronic acid and mannuronic acid are linked by glycosidic linkages [59, 60], whereas the guluronic acid forms α bonds (1 → 4) and β (1 → 4) bonds with mannuronic acid [61]. The stiffness of molecular chains is ensured by the rigid and bent conformations of guluronic acid [62]. Hecth et al. have recently discussed their study on the characterization of calcium alginate and sodium alginate with particular importance on their structure [63]. Different applications and properties of alginate have also been examined. Alginate characteristics used biomedical especially in biomedicine can be formed by adjusting the accessibility of their hydroxyl and carboxyl groups [64]. It influences the characteristics of alginates, such as hydrophobicity, solubility, and their biological activity [65]. Alginate hydrogels were formed by cross-linking polymer chains [66]. The chemical properties of alginate hydrogels were found to depend on the cross-linking density of the chain [67]. The cellular viability of MG-63 osteosarcoma cells was improved by blending alginate bioink solution with N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) [68]. One of the techniques used in the design of alginate hydrogels is intermolecular cross-linking, wherein only the alginate guluronan groups react with the divalent cation, most frequently the calcium used to gel the alginate [69].
