Rheological characterization of a gel produced using human blood plasma and alginate mixtures

Human blood plasma is a material used to generate tissue equivalents due to presence of fibrinogen. However, gels formed using human blood plasma has weak mechanical properties. In this study, different mixtures of sodium alginate and blood plasma were performed and evaluated. By determining zeta potential can be established the stability of the plasma-alginate mixture and by dynamic rheology can determine the most suitable parameters for the gelation of the above mixtures, when calcium chloride is used as a crosslinker. Experimental results evidence an increment in zeta potential at alginate concentrations of 0.8% and 1.6% with a resulting pseudoplastic behavior of evaluated mixtures, which described the homogenization of the mixture. On the other hand, mixtures were gelled by using aspersion of calcium chloride and characterized by dynamic theology. Solid behavior is dominant in all range of frequency sweep test between 0.1 Hz and 100 Hz. Finally, the ultimate tensile strength of a gel reach 6.36938 +/- 0.24320 kPa, which is enough for manual handling of the gel. Between the tasks of the gel would be used for cell entrapment, for controlled release of drugs or in the manufacture of wound dressings. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.