Study of Wound-Dressing Materials Based on Collagen, Sodium Carboxymethylcellulose and Silver Nanoparticles Used for Their Antibacterial Activity in Burn Injuries

There are 2 types of bacteria that can produce serious infections and in many cases they lead to intestinal infections, meningitis or even toxic shock syndrome: Escherichia coli (E.coli) and Staphyloccocus aureus (S.aureus) . They are the most common source of infection worldwide and it's really necessary to understand their mecanism of action. The objective of this study was to develop and characterize wound-dressing materials based on collagen (COLL), sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC-Na) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) designed to be used for burn injuries. We chose to use a composite material because it has multiple desirable effects, both on the wound and against the bacteria. Type I fibrillar collagen gel was extracted from calf hide. Sodium carboxymethylcellulose was used because it's biocompatible and non-toxic. Silver nanoparticles were used for their antimicrobial activity. Obtained wound-dressing material was characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, scanning electronic microscopy, water up-take and degradation in collagenase solution. The results showed that this combination of materials is ideal for a faster healing of the wound and it considerably reduces the risk of infection.