Author: Shaina Premraj
Advisors: Kevin Crowthers & Professor Jeannine Coburn
Category: First Year
Abstract: Although global warming’s irreversible effects are increasing, they are still being taken lightly. Plastic pollution’s ever-growing rates have become pressing now more than ever with the increased use of polyethylene products. Around 2300 tons of polyethylene bandages have been either burned or thrown away in U.S. hospitals each year, further contributing to the already steep plastic pollution rates. Typical drug store bandages, specifically tissue bandages, don’t allow wounds to heal properly, and plastic bandages contribute heavily to plastic pollution due to their inability to degrade when burned or disposed of. This project aimed to determine the most ideal alginate and nanoparticle concentration for a hydrogel, that will serve as an effective wound dressing that reduces bacterial infection, in replacement for typical polyethylene bandages. Various alginate concentrations were combined due to their wound absorption properties, with differing nanoparticles and nanoparticle concentrations, and then cross-linked with calcium chloride to form a hydrogel. Once created they were placed in a freeze dryer to remove excess water, and then tested for compressive strength which found the most durable hydrogel. The hydrogel part of the bandage was tested on brown planaria, where each sample was tested, and found that the sample with 5% alginate with the gelatin nanoparticle proved to have the fastest recovery rate. Further applications include testing a variety of nanoparticles, some biodegradable like gelatin and silica as tested in this project.
UN SDGs:
SDG 3 -Good Health and Well-Being
SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production
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