Abstract:
With advances in material science, new approaches for synthesis and modification
utilizing modern techniques have become achievable. Bacterial cellulose (BC), being
non-toxic, highly pure, and biocompatible is a versatile biomaterial with various
biomedical applications for drug delivery, tissue implants, corneal treatment, and wound
dressings. Although BC is capable of improved cell viability and attachment but in its
native form it does not show antimicrobial activity. Therefore, it is essential to maintain
the sterility of BC based wound dressings by various techniques. Gamma irradiation is a
safe sterilization technique. As it has high penetration ability, it is important to analyze its
effects on mechanical properties of BC after treatment. Our main interest is the effect of
gamma dosages on the integrity of the BC pellicles after exposure. The present work also
is on research outcomes of BC in biomedical applications with focus on modern BC
based wet dressings for burns and wound healing. In our work, BC was produced by
commonly used bacterium Komagataeibacter hansenii. After its production, BC
membranes were sterilized by different doses (5KGy,10KGy and 15KGy) of gamma
irradiation. The degradation assay was performed in phosphate buffer saline solution for
the period of six months. Characterization and comparison of membrane before and after
irradiation and degradation in different intervals were performed by Fourier transform
infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscope
(SEM) and Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), Sterility test, swelling ratio,
degradation, antibacterial, drug release assay and cell viability assay.
