Sulfonated nanocellulose beads as potential immunosorbents

Abstract

Herein 2,3-dialdehyde cellulose beads prepared from Cladophora green algae nanocellulose were sulfonated and characterized by FTIR, conductometric titration, elemental analysis, SEM, ζ-potential, nitrogen adsorption–desorption and laser diffraction, aiming for its application as a potential immunosorbent material. Porous beads were prepared at mild reaction conditions in water and were chemically modified by sulfonation and reduction. The obtained 15 µm sized sulfonated beads were found to be highly charged and to have a high surface area of ~ 100 m2 g−1 and pore sizes between 20 and 60 nm, adequate for usage as immunosorbents. After reduction of remaining aldehyde groups, the beads could be classified as non-cytotoxic in indirect toxicity studies with human dermal fibroblasts as a first screening of their biocompatibility. The observed properties make the sulfonated cellulose beads interesting for further development as matrix material in immunosorbent devices.