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Niewiadomski K, Szopa D, Pstrowska K, Wróbel P, Witek-Krowiak A. Comparative Analysis of Crosslinking Methods and Their Impact on the Physicochemical Properties of SA/PVA Hydrogels. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 17:1816. [PMID: 38673173 PMCID: PMC11051402 DOI: 10.3390/ma17081816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Hydrogels, versatile materials used in various applications such as medicine, possess properties crucial for their specific applications, significantly influenced by their preparation methods. This study synthesized 18 different types of hydrogels using sodium alginate (SA) and two molecular weights of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Crosslinking agents such as aqueous solutions of calcium (Ca2+) and copper (Cu2+) ions and solutions of these ions in boric acid were utilized. The hydrogels were subjected to compression strength tests and drying kinetics analysis. Additionally, six hydrogel variants containing larger PVA particles underwent Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) post-drying. Some samples were lyophilized, and their surface morphology was examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results indicate that the choice of crosslinking method significantly impacts the physicochemical properties of the hydrogels. Crosslinking in solutions with higher concentrations of crosslinking ions enhanced mechanical properties and thermal stability. Conversely, using copper ions instead of calcium resulted in slower drying kinetics and reduced thermal stability. Notably, employing boric acid as a crosslinking agent for hydrogels containing heavier PVA molecules led to considerable improvements in mechanical properties and thermal stability.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Anna Witek-Krowiak
- Faculty of Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, 27 Wybrzeze Wyspianskiego Street, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland (D.S.); (P.W.)
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Cao L, Verduijn J, Van der Meeren L, Huang Y, Vallejos LC, Skirtach AG, Parakhonskiy BV. Alginate-CaCO 3 hybrid colloidal hydrogel with tunable physicochemical properties for cell growth. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 259:129069. [PMID: 38161005 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.129069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Biomaterials composed of food polysaccharides are of great interest for future biomedical applications due to their great biocompatibility, tunable mechanical properties, and complex architectural designs that play a crucial role in the modulation of cell adhesion and proliferation. In this work, a facile approach was designed to obtain novel 3D alginate-CaCO3 hybrid hydrogel particles in situ. Controlling the gel concentration from 3 to 20 mg·mL-1 allows us to control the alginate-CaCO3 hydrogel particles' size and density (size variation from 1.86 to 2.34 mm and density from 1.22 to 1.29 mg/mm3). This variable also has a considerable influence on the mineralization process resulting in CaCO3 particles with varied sizes and amounts within the hydrogel beads. The measurements of Young's modulus showed that the inclusion of CaCO3 particles into the alginate hydrogel improved its mechanical properties, and Young's modulus of these hybrid hydrogel particles had a linear relationship with alginate content and hydrogel particle size. Cell experiments indicated that alginate-CaCO3 hybrid hydrogel particles can support osteoblastic cell proliferation and growth. In particular, the amount of hydroxyapatite deposition on the cell membrane significantly increased after the treatment of cells with hybrid hydrogel particles, up to 20-fold. This work offers a strategy for constructing inorganic particle-doped polysaccharide hybrid hydrogel scaffolds that provide the potential to support cell growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Cao
- Nano-Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Joost Verduijn
- Nano-Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Louis Van der Meeren
- Nano-Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Yanqi Huang
- Nano-Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Laura Currás Vallejos
- Nano-Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Andre G Skirtach
- Nano-Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Bogdan V Parakhonskiy
- Nano-Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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Clemente I, Baglioni M, Bonechi C, Bisozzi F, Rossi C, Tamasi G. Green Hydrogels Loaded with Extracts from Solanaceae for the Controlled Disinfection of Agricultural Soils. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:4455. [PMID: 38006179 PMCID: PMC10674755 DOI: 10.3390/polym15224455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development established the goal of cutting the use of pesticides in the EU by 50% by 2030. However, a ban on pesticides could seriously affect the productivity of agriculture, resulting in severe issues due to global hunger and food deficiency. Controlled release (CR) of bioactive chemicals could play a valid alternative in this context. To this aim, two biodegradable polymers, namely sodium alginate (AL) and sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), were employed to obtain crosslinked hydrogel beads for the encapsulation and CR of glycoalkaloids extracted from tomato and potato leaves to be used as biocompatible disinfectants for agricultural soils. The physico-chemical characterization of the controlled-release systems was carried out by means of Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetry (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) (FWI > 80%) and drying kinetics. The plant extracts and the encapsulation efficiency (~84%) were, respectively, characterized and evaluated by High-performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-MS). Finally, preliminary microbiological tests were conducted to test the efficacy of the most promising systems as biocidal formulations both in the lab and on a model soil, and interesting results were obtained in the reduction of bacterial and fungal load, which could lead to sustainable perspectives in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Clemente
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Via A. Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy; (M.B.); (C.B.); (F.B.); (C.R.); (G.T.)
- Siena Research Group-Centre for Colloid and Surface Science (CSGI), Via della Lastruccia 3, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Michele Baglioni
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Via A. Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy; (M.B.); (C.B.); (F.B.); (C.R.); (G.T.)
- Siena Research Group-Centre for Colloid and Surface Science (CSGI), Via della Lastruccia 3, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Claudia Bonechi
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Via A. Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy; (M.B.); (C.B.); (F.B.); (C.R.); (G.T.)
- Siena Research Group-Centre for Colloid and Surface Science (CSGI), Via della Lastruccia 3, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Flavia Bisozzi
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Via A. Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy; (M.B.); (C.B.); (F.B.); (C.R.); (G.T.)
- Siena Research Group-Centre for Colloid and Surface Science (CSGI), Via della Lastruccia 3, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Claudio Rossi
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Via A. Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy; (M.B.); (C.B.); (F.B.); (C.R.); (G.T.)
- Siena Research Group-Centre for Colloid and Surface Science (CSGI), Via della Lastruccia 3, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Gabriella Tamasi
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Via A. Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy; (M.B.); (C.B.); (F.B.); (C.R.); (G.T.)
- Siena Research Group-Centre for Colloid and Surface Science (CSGI), Via della Lastruccia 3, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
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Fayyazbakhsh F, Khayat MJ, Sadler C, Day D, Huang YW, Leu MC. 3D-printed hydrogels dressings with bioactive borate glass for continuous hydration and treatment of second-degree burns. Int J Bioprint 2023; 9:0118. [PMID: 38516674 PMCID: PMC10956508 DOI: 10.36922/ijb.0118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in additive manufacturing have led to the development of innovative solutions for tissue regeneration. Hydrogel materials have gained significant attention for burn wound treatment in clinical practice among various advanced dressings due to their soothing and moisturizing activity. However, prolonged healing, pain, and traumatic removal due to the lack of long-term wound hydration are some of the challenges in the treatment of second-degree burn wounds. In this study, 3D-printed dressings were fabricated using gelatin, alginate, and bioactive borate glass (BBG) using an extrusion-based bioprinter. After ionic crosslinking, the 3D-printed dressings were characterized for mechanical properties, degradation rate, hydration activity, and in vitro cell viability using human fibroblasts. The results demonstrated that in 3D-printed dressings with 20 wt% BBG, Young's modulus increased by 105%, and 10-day degradation rate decreased by 62%. Addition of BBG prevented the burst release of water from hydrogel dressings and enabled the continuous water release for up to 10 days, which is crucial in treating second-degree burn wounds. 3D-printed hydrogel dressings with BBG showed long-term cell viability that can be a result of the accumulative release of therapeutic ions from BBG particulate. The in vivo wound healing functionality of the dressings was investigated using a rat model with a second-degree burn wound. Our animal study showed that the 3D-printed dressings with BBG exhibited faster wound closure, non-adhesive contact, non-invasive debridement, and non-traumatic dressing removal. Histological analysis suggested that 3D-printed dressings contributed to more uniform re-epithelialization and tissue remodeling compared to the non-printed hydrogels of the same compositions. Critically, 3D-printed dressings with BBG led to significant regeneration of hair follicles compared to the 3D-printed hydrogel, non-printed hydrogel, and the control groups. The superior outcome of the 3D-printed hydrogel-BBG20 dressings can be attributed to the bioactive formulation, which promotes moist wound healing for longer time periods, and the non-adhesive porous texture of the 3D-printed dressings with increased wound-dressing interactions. Our findings provided proof of concept for the synergistic effect of bioactive formulation and the porous texture of the 3D-printed hydrogel dressings incorporated with BBG on continuous water release and, consequently, on second-degree burn wound healing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fateme Fayyazbakhsh
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, Missouri, USA
- Intelligent System Center, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, Missouri, USA
- Center for Biomedical Research, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, Missouri, USA
| | - Michael J. Khayat
- Department of Materials Engineering, McGill University, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Candy Sadler
- Wound Clinic, Phelps Health Hospital, Rolla, Missouri, USA
| | - Delbert Day
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, Missouri, USA
| | - Yue-Wern Huang
- Center for Biomedical Research, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, Missouri, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, Missouri, USA
| | - Ming C. Leu
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, Missouri, USA
- Intelligent System Center, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, Missouri, USA
- Center for Biomedical Research, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, Missouri, USA
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Mohammadalinejhad S, Kurek M, Jensen IJ, Lerfall J. The potential of anthocyanin-loaded alginate hydrogel beads for intelligent packaging applications: Stability and sensitivity to volatile amines. Curr Res Food Sci 2023; 7:100560. [PMID: 37589019 PMCID: PMC10425905 DOI: 10.1016/j.crfs.2023.100560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023] Open
Abstract
pH indicators have emerged as promising tools for real-time monitoring of product freshness and quality in intelligent food packaging applications. However, ensuring the stability of these indicators is critical for practical use. This study aims to evaluate the stability of anthocyanins-loaded alginate hydrogel beads of varying sizes at different temperatures under accelerated light conditions and relative humidity (RH) levels of 53% and 97% during 21 days of storage. Moreover, their sensitivity to the principal spoilage volatiles of muscle food products such as ammonia (NH3), dimethylamine (DMA) and trimethylamine (TMA) was investigated. The half-life of cyanidin-3-glucoside in small hydrogel beads was roughly twice as long as that of the larger beads under accelerated light exposure at 4 °C and they were less likely to undergo noticeable color changes over time. Both sizes of hydrogel beads stored at 97% RH and 4 °C showed color stability over the 21-day period with minimal color variation (|ΔE| ≤ 3). The UV-vis spectra of the purple corn extract exhibited changes across pH 2 to 12, as evidenced by the visible color variations, ranging from pink to green. The limit of detection (LOD) for NH3 was 25 ppm for small beads and 15 ppm for large ones. Both types of beads exhibited similar LOD for DMA and TMA, around 48 ppm. This research showed that alginate hydrogel beads containing anthocyanins from purple corn are a viable option for developing intelligent packaging of muscle foods. Furthermore, the use of hydrogel beads of different sizes can be customized to specific muscle foods based on the primary spoilage compound generated during spoilage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samira Mohammadalinejhad
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Marcin Kurek
- Department of Technique and Food Product Development, Institute of Human Nutrition Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-776, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Ida-Johanne Jensen
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Jørgen Lerfall
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491, Trondheim, Norway
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Ferreira I, Marques AC, Costa PC, Amaral MH. Effects of Steam Sterilization on the Properties of Stimuli-Responsive Polymer-Based Hydrogels. Gels 2023; 9:385. [PMID: 37232977 PMCID: PMC10217074 DOI: 10.3390/gels9050385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Hydrogels based on stimuli-responsive polymers can change their characteristics in response to small variations in environmental conditions, such as temperature, pH, and ionic strength, among others. In the case of some routes of administration, such as ophthalmic and parenteral, the formulations must meet specific requirements, namely sterility. Therefore, it is essential to study the effect of the sterilization method on the integrity of smart gel systems. Thus, this work aimed to study the effect of steam sterilization (121 °C, 15 min) on the properties of hydrogels based on the following stimuli-responsive polymers: Carbopol® 940, Pluronic® F-127, and sodium alginate. The properties of the prepared hydrogels-pH, texture, rheological behavior, and sol-gel phase transition-were evaluated to compare and identify the differences between sterilized and non-sterilized hydrogels. The influence of steam sterilization on physicochemical stability was also investigated by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. The results of this study showed that the Carbopol® 940 hydrogel was the one that suffered fewer changes in the studied properties after sterilization. By contrast, sterilization was found to cause slight changes in the Pluronic® F-127 hydrogel regarding gelation temperature/time, as well as a considerable decrease in the viscosity of the sodium alginate hydrogel. There were no considerable differences in the chemical and physical characteristics of the hydrogels after steam sterilization. It is possible to conclude that steam sterilization is suitable for Carbopol® 940 hydrogels. Contrarily, this technique does not seem adequate for the sterilization of alginate or Pluronic® F-127 hydrogels, as it could considerably alter their properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inês Ferreira
- UCIBIO-Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, MEDTECH-Medicines and Healthcare Products, Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Drug Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, R. Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (I.F.); (P.C.C.)
- Associate Laboratory Institute for Health and Bioeconomy—i4HB, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, R. Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana Camila Marques
- UCIBIO-Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, MEDTECH-Medicines and Healthcare Products, Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Drug Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, R. Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (I.F.); (P.C.C.)
- Associate Laboratory Institute for Health and Bioeconomy—i4HB, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, R. Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Paulo Cardoso Costa
- UCIBIO-Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, MEDTECH-Medicines and Healthcare Products, Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Drug Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, R. Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (I.F.); (P.C.C.)
- Associate Laboratory Institute for Health and Bioeconomy—i4HB, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, R. Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria Helena Amaral
- UCIBIO-Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, MEDTECH-Medicines and Healthcare Products, Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Drug Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, R. Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (I.F.); (P.C.C.)
- Associate Laboratory Institute for Health and Bioeconomy—i4HB, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, R. Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
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