A Comparative Study of Crosslinked Sodium Alginate/Gelatin Hydrogels for Wound Dressing

Sodium alginate (SA) and gelatine (G) based hydrogels for biomedical applications, such as wound dressing, were crosslinked by calcium chloride (CaCl2) or glutaraldehyde (GTA) in order to overcome their exudates solubility. Swelling behaviour of prepared hydrogels in phosphate buffered saline with different pH value at 37 ° C was compared. It was proved that the crosslinking agent concentration, time, and pH of swelling medium significantly influenced their swelling behaviour. While local maximum of swelling equilibrium occurred at pH 7 for which conditions , swelling of GTA crosslinked hydrogels was found to be slightly lower compare to CaCl2 crosslinked ones. The results indicate that the SA/G-50/50 hydrogel crosslinked via Ca 2+ ions is a potential nontoxic wound dressing material capable of the adequate provision of moist environment for comfortable wound healing. Key-Words: Hydrogels, Sodium Alginate, Gelatine, Crosslinking Agent, Swelling Behaviour, Wound Dressing