Characterization of a renewable extracellular polysaccharide from defatted microalgae Dunaliella tertiolecta

► Extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) was obtained from defatted biomass of microalgae Dunaliela tertiolecta. ► Monosaccharide composition analysis confirmed that EPS consisted of glucose residues only. ► This exopolysaccharide was defined by FTIR, NMR and enzymatic cleavage analysis to be (1 → 4)-α-d-glucan. ► EPS was characterized as suitable substrate for biotechnological production of glucose and ethanol.