Zeolites incorporated polymeric gel beads—Promising drug carriers

•Zeolite incorporated polymeric gel beads were fabricated by ionotropic gelation.•They exhibited controlled copper release properties.•The hybrid gel beads exhibited antibacterial property.

Novel hybrid gel beads comprising of pectin and copper exchanged zeolites were prepared using ionotropic gelation technique. The prepared beads were transparent and spherical. The egg-box model crosslinking of pectin was visualised on the surface of the bead. The embedded zeolites maintained their crystallinity inspite of their weak interactions with pectin. Their anti-bacterial properties were attributed due to the copper ions leached from the cavities of zeolites incorporated in polymer matrix. The obtained results proved their versatility as promising drug carriers.

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