Controlled Release and Antimicrobial Study of zinc(II)-Ion from zinc/poly(2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Itaconic Acid) Hybrid Hydrogels

Abstract

A novel zinc/poly(2-hydroxyethyl acrylate/itaconic acid) (Zn/P(HEA/IA)) hybrid hydrogels were successfully prepared by free radical crosslinking copolymerization of 2- hydroxyethyl acrylate (HEA) and itaconic acid (IA) monomers. Zn(II)-ions were subsequently embeded by swelling dry gels in zinc salt solution. Zinc ions are of biomedical importance due to their essential role for sustaining living organisms as well as for their anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. Swelling studies were performed in vitro, in order to evaluate zinc ion effect on fluid diffusion into hydrogels. Observations from swelling studies indicate that intermolecular interactions, such as coordinate bonding between Zn(II) and carboxyl and hydroxyl groups further stabilize the hybrid structure to a certain extent. Values of equilibrium degrees of swelling (qe) of Zn/P(HEA/IA) hybrid hydrogels depend on itaconic acid content. The release of the Zn(II)-ions from the hybrids was investigated in vitro, for a time period of seven days. The release profiles of Zn(II)-ions from the Zn/P(HEA/IA) hybrid hydrogels have shown a two-phase exponential profile with fast initial phase followed by a slower rate of release, reaching a plateau. The antimicrobial activity of the samples tested using E. coli pathogen showed satisfactory antimicrobial potential of Zn-loaded hybrid hydrogels. The obtained results have shown that such a new type of Zn/P(HEA/IA) hybrid hydrogels Therefore, hydrogels enriched with zinc ions system holds wide potential for application in clinic as an antibacterial biomaterial.KeywordsZn/P(HEA/IA) hybrid hydrogelsmultifunctional biomaterialscontrolled releaseantimicrobial potential