Controlling bioprocesses with inorganic surfaces: Layered clay hemostatic agents

The whole blood coagulation studies of an aluminosiliocate structural family of layered clays were reported to identify the changes in structural and surface properties influencing the blood-clotting response. The hemostatic efficacy of clays were compared by synthesizing and selecting layered clays with specific properties that strongly influence their hydrostatic performance. The clay minerals display a wide ranging blood clotting activities while QuikClot (QC) is found to be significantly more active in dehydrated form. Infrared imaging maps of heat release QC and Kaolin show that clays are efficient alternative to QC to reduce the risk of thermal injury. The correlation between clay surface charge and clotting time is found to be due to preferential absorption and activation of blood coagulation factor XII on the more negatively charged clay surfaces in the presence of plasma proteins.