Plasma jet technology makes bioactive coatings for improved wound care

The approach by researchers at Flinders University in Australia uses argon atmospheric plasma jet technology to transform the blue-green microalgae Spirulina maxima into bioactive coatings that tackle bacterial infections while promoting faster wound healing and applying anti-inflammatory properties. The research is detailed in Small.

“This holds promise, especially for the treatment of chronic wounds, which often pose challenges due to prolonged healing times,” said Dr Vi Khanh Truong, from the Flinders University Biomedical Engineering Laboratory.

“This novel approach could reduce the risk of toxic reactions to silver and other nanoparticles and rising antibiotic-resistance to common commercial coatings used in wound dressings.”

The Flinders team used a new patented plasma-assisted technology which sustainably processes Spirulina maxima biomass into bioactive ultrathin coatings that can be applied to wound dressings and other medical devices.

The new technique could be readily applied to other types of natural supplements, said Dr Truong.

“We are using the plasma coating technology to turn any type of biomass – in this case Spirulina maxima – into a more sustainable high-end coating.”