PRODUCTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF BIOPOLYMER DERIVED FROM ALGINATE AND VANILIN
Biopolymers; Biomaterials; Alginate; Vanillin; Dressing.
The use of biopolymers from renewable resources is highly studied and they are, in general, biodegradable, biocompatible and can be obtained at low cost. Biopolymers have many applications, for instance in health, known as biomaterial. In this way, this work aims to synthesize a biopolymer of alginate and vanillin using glycerol and calcium chloride as plasticizer and crosslinking agent, respectively. Using design of experiments, different biopolymers were produced and analysing the solubility and the swelling degree, the best region, regarding the application, was found, corresponding to the one using vanillin at concentration up to 0.015 g, and the calcium chloride, values higher than 0.090 g, obtaining films with solubility around 30 % and the swelling degree between 100 and 120 %. Therefore, it was possible to synthesized a biopolymer with characteristics compatibles for a possible application in health, for instance a dressing, due to its antimicrobial potential and antioxidant property of these materials.