Ca(II)+Ba(II) ions crosslinked alginate gels prepared by a novel diffusion through dialysis tube (DTDT) approach and preliminary BSA release study

In this work, plain and model therapeutic protein Bovine Serum Albumin(BSA) loaded alginate hydrogels, crosslinked with Ca(II)+Ba(II) ions, were prepared by 'Diffusion Through Dialysis Tube' (DTDT) technique which involved permeation of crosslinking ions into alginate solution via a dialysis tube with a molecular weight cutoff of 8 k Da. The model protein BSA loaded hydrogels were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The dynamic water uptake behavior of plain hydrogels was investigated in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) of pH 7.4 at 37 °C. Finally, the controlled release of therapeutic protein BSA from these hydrogels was studied in the phosphate buffer medium of pH 7.4 at 37 °C.The release data were interpreted in the terms of Power function model and First order kinetic model respectively.