Researchers used plasma technology to transform a type of blue-green microalgae into a bioactive coating that has incredible wound-healing properties. They say the new coating could be used in dressings and medical devices to protect patients from infection, speed wound healing and reduce inflammation.
Plasma is formed from superheated gas, which strips electrons from atoms, creating positively charged ions and negatively charged electrons. Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jets (APPJ) utilize an inert gas/molecular gas mixture through a powerful arc discharge to produce a plasma discharge at ambient pressure.
Researchers at Flinders University in South Australia used argon APPJ to convert blue-green microalgae into ultra-thin bioactive coatings, which can be added to medical dressings to kill bacteria, reduce inflammation and promote wound healing.
ViKhanh Truong, one of the corresponding authors of the study, said: "We are using plasma coating technology to convert any type of biomass - in this case Spirulina maxima - into a sustainable high-end coating. Using our technology, we can convert biomass into a wound dressing coating."
Extracts of the blue-green microalgae S. maxima are commonly used as dietary supplements. This single-celled organism has a simple reproductive system that produces biomass containing bioactive compounds with powerful antioxidant and antibacterial properties that aid in wound healing.
However, the thick cell walls of microalgae pose a huge obstacle to the extraction of these valuable compounds. This is where APPJ comes in. Researchers used this technique to selectively break down the thick walls of microalgae, achieving a major transformation. S.maxima lost its native structure, completely disintegrated, and then reformed into an ultra-thin film.
The evaluation found that S. maxima treated with argon APPJ had high antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus, with cell death rates of 93% and 73% respectively, and could inhibit biofilm formation. Bacteria within biofilms are more resistant to antibiotics.
In addition to being biocompatible, the S.maxima coating also has anti-inflammatory properties. After applying the coating, the wounds, which the researchers measured using wound scarification methods, were completely closed within two days.
The researchers say the new technology has potential as a wound treatment option, including for chronic wounds, especially as antibiotic resistance increases.
Krasimir Vasilev, another corresponding author of the study, said: "This new plasma-facilitated downstream processing technology can improve the extraction and purification of useful compounds in biomass without using harmful solvents and investing large amounts of energy." We are currently exploring commercialization pathways for this unique technology. Currently, there is no commercially available wound dressing that can simultaneously resist infection, protect the wound, effectively regulate inflammation, and promote wound healing. "
The research was published in the journal Small.