Gelatin-Based Hydrogels: Potential Biomaterials for Remediation

Abstract

Hydrogels have become one of the potential polymers used with great performance for many issues and can be promoted as biomaterials with highly innovative characteristics and different uses. Gelatin is obtained from collagen, a co-product of the meat industry. Thus, converting wastes such as cartilage, bones, and skins into gelatin would give them added value. Furthermore, biodegradability, non-toxicity, and easy cross-linking with other substances can promote polymers with high performance and low cost for many applications, turning them into sustainable products with high acceptance in society. Gelatin-based hydrogels have been shown to be useful for different applications with important and innovative characteristics. For instance, these hydrogels have been used for biomedical applications such as bone reconstruction or drug delivery. Furthermore, they have also shown substantial performance and important characteristics for remediation for removing pollutants from water, watercourse, and effluents. After its uses, gelatin-based hydrogels can easily biodegrade and, thus, can be sustainably used in the environment. In this study, gelatin was shown to be a potential polymer for hydrogel synthesis with highly renewable and sustainable characteristics and multiple uses.

Lyophilized Platelet-Rich Fibrin Exudate-Loaded Carboxymethyl Chitosan/GelMA Hydrogel for Efficient Bone Defect Repair

“…It is worth noting that the combined application of CS and gelatin hydrogels for bone tissue engineering has long been widely investigated in previous studies, ,, some of which also explored its improved applications through the introduction of nanohydroxyapatite, gold/silica nanomaterials, or bioactive glass nanoparticles . However, the biosafety of these modified approaches is questionable.…”

Tumor Microenvironment-Responsive 6-Mercaptopurine-Releasing Injectable Hydrogel for Colon Cancer Treatment

“…Gelatin has desirable intrinsic physicochemical properties such as excellent biocompatibility, biodegradability, and low antigenicity. It is well known as a suitable hydrogel material [ 29 , 30 ]. However, hydrogels made only from gelatin often exhibit disadvantages, such as poor mechanical properties, low thermal stability, and instantaneous dissolution in water, which often cause failure in tissue engineering applications [ 21 , 22 ].…”

Antibacterial, Anti-Biofilm and Pro-Migratory Effects of Double Layered Hydrogels Packaged with Lactoferrin-DsiRNA-Silver Nanoparticles for Chronic Wound Therapy

“…They can also utilize nanoparticles as a drug depot and significantly prolong the drug release duration, which increases drug bioavailability and patient compliance [ 44 , 45 ]. In this instance, gelatin is often used as a base for hydrogels because it is cheap, easily accessible, has excellent cell adhesion properties, low antigenicity, and versatile chemical and physical modifiability [ 46 , 47 ]. However, the downside of gelatin is that it has unstable mechanical properties under physiological conditions, despite the presence of physically crosslinked nanoparticles.…”