Ca(II) plus Ba(II) ions crosslinked alginate gels prepared by a novel diffusion through dialysis tube (DTDT) approach and preliminary BSA release study

In this work, plain and model therapeutic protein Bovine Serum Albumin(BSA) loaded alginate hydrogels, crosslinked with Ca(II)+Ba(II) ions, were prepared by 'Diffusion Through Dialysis Tube' (DTDT) technique which involved permeation of crosslinking ions into alginate solution via a dialysis tube with a molecular weight cutoff of 8 k Da. The model protein BSA loaded hydrogels were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The dynamic water uptake behavior of plain hydrogels was investigated in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) of pH 7.4 at 37 degrees C. Finally, the controlled release of therapeutic protein BSA from these hydrogels was studied in the phosphate buffer medium of pH 7.4 at 37 degrees C. The release data were interpreted in the terms of Power function model and First order kinetic model respectively. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.