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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Cotton Chemistry and Utilization Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #308535
Title: Electrokinetic and hemostatic profiles of nonwoven cellulosic/ synthetic fiber blends with unbleached cotton

Author
item Edwards, Judson - Vince
item Graves, Elena
item Bopp, Alvin
item Prevost, Nicolette
item Santiago Cintron, Michael
item Condon, Brian

Submitted to: Journal of Functional Biomaterials
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/19/2014
Publication Date: 11/28/2014
Citation: Edwards, J.V., Graves, E.E., Bopp, A.F., Prevost, N.T., Santiago Cintron, M., Condon, B.D. 2014. Electrokinetic and hemostatic profiles of nonwoven cellulosic/ synthetic fiber blends with unbleached cotton. Journal of Functional Biomaterials. 5(4):273-287.

Interpretive Summary: Greige cotton contains waxes and pectin on the outer surface of the fiber that are removed from bleached cotton, but present added potential for wound dressing functionality. Innovations to mechanically clean and sterilize greige cotton (or non-bleached cotton) do not remove these exterior components of the cotton fiber, and has prompted interest in greige cotton for nonwoven applications in wound care. Thus, a series of greige cotton nonwovens blended with various hydrophobic and hydrophilic fibers including viscose, polyester, and polypropylene were prepared and assessed for clotting activity. The cotton nonwoven blends were tested in a assay that measures the physiology of clotting. Findings from this assay were contrasted with material surface properties using electrokinetic assessment. It was found that as the materials swell in bovine blood clotting is accelerated. The observed clotting properties are also discussed in light of a thrombin generation which is central to clot formation. The results of this study show how greige cotton when combined with other fibers of varying polarity could potentially be used in hemostatic dressings useful in trauma and surgical applications.

Technical Abstract: Greige cotton contains waxes and pectin on the outer surface of the fiber that are removed from bleached cotton, but present added potential for wound dressing functionality. Innovations to mechanically clean and sterilize greige cotton (or non-bleached cotton) do not remove these exterior components of the cotton fiber, and has prompted interest in greige cotton for nonwoven applications in wound care. Thus, a series of greige cotton nonwovens blended with various hydrophobic and hydrophilic fibers including viscose, polyester, and polypropylene were prepared and assessed for clotting activity with thromboelastography (TEG) and thrombin production. Functional clotting profiles were examined in light of material surface properties determined with electrokinetic analysis. Influence of material surface polarity on clotting function was evaluated based on TEG values of R (time to initiation of clot formation), K (time from end of R to a 20mm clot), ' (rate of clot formation according to the angle tangent to the curve as K is reached), and MA (clot strength). TEG values and thrombin concentrations were found to correlate to fiber polarity as measured through electrokinetic parameters ('plateau, ' zeta and swell ratio). The material surface polarity as measured by 'plateau values varied from -22 to -61 mv. K values and thrombin concentrations were found to be inversely proportional to 'plateau for materials as an increase in hydrophobicity was observed. An increase in the swell ratios of the materials correlated with decreased K values suggesting that fiber-based clotting rates follwing fibrin formation increase with increasing surface area due to swelling of the material. The greige cotton nonwoven blends swell as a function of varyng polarity, composition, and density. Clot strength (MA) also increased with the hydrophobicity of the material surface. The results are discussed in light of structure/function implications from the observed clotting physiology induced by nonwoven blended fibers.