Ion-crosslinked wood-derived nanocellulose hydrogels with tunable antibacterial properties: Candidate materials for advanced wound care applications. (1st February 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Basu, Alex; Heitz, Karen; Strømme, Maria; Welch, Ken; Ferraz, Natalia
• Is Part Of: Carbohydrate polymers. Volume 181(2018)
• Page Start: 345
• Page End: 350
• Publication Date: 2018-02-01
• Subjects: Nanofibrillated cellulose -- Biofilm -- Wound dressing -- Infected wound; Polysaccharides -- Periodicals; Polysaccharides -- Periodicals; Polysaccharides -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 547.78
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2017.10.085
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0144-8617

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Highlights: Wound dressings consisting of ion-crosslinked wood-derived nanocellulose hydrogels are shown to have tailorable antibacterial properties. The Ca 2+ -crosslinked hydrogel retards S. epidermidis growth and inhibits P. aeruginosa biofilm formation. The Cu 2+ -crosslinked hydrogel inhibits S. epidermis growth while having a bacteriostatic effect on P. aeruginosa . Ion-crosslinked nanocellulose hydrogels are shown to be impermeable to bacteria, thus able to act as barrier against invading pathogens. Abstract: Development of advanced dressings with antimicrobial properties for the treatment of infected wounds is an important approach in the fight against evolution of antibiotic resistant bacterial strains. Herein, the effects of ion-crosslinked nanocellulose hydrogels on bacteria commonly found in infected wounds were investigated in vitro . By using divalent calcium or copper ions as crosslinking agents, different antibacterial properties against the bacterial strains Staphylococcus epidermidis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were obtained. Calcium crosslinked hydrogels were found to retard S. epidermidis growth (up to 266% increase in lag time, 36% increase in doubling time) and inhibited P. aeruginosa biofilm formation, while copper crosslinked hydrogels prevented S. epidermidis growth and were bacteriostatic towards P. aeruginosa (49% increase in lag time, 78% increase in doubling time). The wound dressing candidates furthermore displayed barrier properties towards both S. epidermidis and P. aeruginosa, hence making them interesting for further development of advanced wound dressings with tunable antibacterial properties.