Nanomembranes Synthesis from Natural Wastes for Wound Healing and Biochemical Variables Applications

Abstract

Due to the concerns of wound infections, healing agents have been considered as one of the main solutions in treating various skin lesions. Dressings can protect wounds or ulcers from harmful elements and using these carriers not only speeds up the healing process but also reduces scarring and pain. This requires low-cost, compatibility and bioactive materials that provide the best skin treatment. The most common polymer on Earth is cellulose, which comes from natural sources such as plants, microorganisms, and animals. It is characterized by low density, biodegradability and strong mechanical properties. This study aims to extract and characterize nanocrystals from waste to find solutions to the problem of useless agricultural residues and marine crustacean waste by converting them into environmentally friendly materials, including the extraction of nanocellulose and the reconversion of some parts of marine crustacean waste into nanochitosan. For potential use for nanocellulose membrane preparation and development of composite membranes by combining nanochitosan and nanocellulose for use in medical applications as wound healing dressings and to study the effect of nanocellulose membranes and composite membranes on blood components, cytotoxicity tests and electrochemical effect of redox current peaks for nanocellulose membranes in blood medium using glassy carbon electrode (GCE) cyclic voltammetry technology. An inexpensive chemical-mechanical method was used for defibrillation of cellulose, acid-hydrolysis, sonication and filtration in which nanocellulose membranes obtained by casting and evaporation. The techniques used for characterization included Scanning Electron Microscopy (FEI-SEM), X-rays Diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), and in vivo application. The results of the characterization of the formation of nanocellulose using infrared absorption spectra showed several peaks showing the functional groups of cellulose. X-ray diffraction assay also showed the formation of nanocellulose. (FEI-SEM) images of nanocellulose showed nanoparticles and nanofibers in the micrographs of NC1 showed the presence of massive cluster-like crystalline nanoparticles of varied sizes and shapes having length ranging from 19 – 91 nm as IX well as clusters that have different rod-like and needle-like nanoparticles attached to their surfaces. NC2 micrographs showed clumps of rod-like nanoparticles ranging from 44nm to 51nm. In the microscopic images of NC3, clumpy particles with sharp edges ranging from 20.10 nm to 46.89 nm were seen. Micrographs showed NC4 clumps of nanoparticles ranging from 24.33 nm to 56.83 nm. TEM microscopy of NC1 showed the formation of nanoparticles and nanofibers which contain a very large and broad web-like fiber network with a length of 546-1073 nm and a width of 43-49 nm and very interesting nanoparticles with a diameter of 9-11 nm. TEM images of NC2 showed clusters of nanoparticles with a diameter of 60-82 nm, NC3 of nanoparticles and nanofibers showed a very large mesh-like fiber network mixed with the uniform distribution of nanoparticles. The length of 1385 nm and width of 62 nm nanoparticles with diameters ranging from 16 nm to 52 nm. TEM of NC4 showed clusters of nanoparticles with spherical shapes with different sizes with diameters ranging from 41.36 nm to 66.7 nm. The nanocellulose membrane did not show significant differences on blood components and kidneys function tests. Our results of the cytotoxic effect study showed no cytotoxic activity of nanocellulose membrane from NC4 against REF cell lines. Also the blood redox results gave a decrease in the peak oxidation current for groups G2 (nanocellulose membrane NC1) was 45.40, G3 (nanocellulose membrane NC2) was 38.83 and G4 (nanocellulose membrane NC4) was 40.50 compared to G1 (control) 49.30. The rest of the groups indicated a slight decrease. The membranes have promising physical properties and a pronounced transparency that allows assessment of the wound without removing and replacing the dressing. Moreover, it does not have any harmful effects on hematological tests, the kidneys function tests, it is also non-toxic and has an antioxidant effect in the blood. The best membrane obtained is from the model (nanocellulose membrane NC4)