Table of Contents
Context
Scientists have discovered a new way to create hydrogels using tiny protein fragments of just five amino acids from the SARS-CoV-1 virus.
About Hydrogels
- Hydrogels are three-dimensional, hydrophilic polymer networks that can retain a large amount of water while maintaining structure due to their cross-linked nature.
- They are soft and flexible, similar to natural tissue, due to their significant water content.
- Composition: Hydrogels can be made from natural or synthetic polymers, such as collagen, gelatin, polyethylene glycol (PEG), cellulose, starch, chitin and chitosan.
- Applications:
- Tissue engineering: Hydrogels can be used as scaffolds for tissue engineering because their structure is similar to the extracellular matrix of many tissues.
- Wound healing: Hydrogels are a common wound care solution because they are soft, moisturising and can quickly absorb and retain water.
- Drug delivery: Hydrogels can be loaded with drugs and controlled subcutaneously, orally or intramuscularly.
- Environmental Cleanup: They are also used to capture and remove pollutants, especially in water.
- Agriculture: Used to retain soil moisture, especially in arid regions.
- They are also used in Contact lenses & Diagnostic devices.
UPSC PYQ |
Q. In which of the following are hydrogels used? (2024) 1.     Controlled drug delivery in patients 2.     Mobile air-conditioning systems 3.     Preparation of Industrial lubricants Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a)   1 only (b)   1 and 2 only (c)   2 and 3 only (d)   1, 2 and 3
Answer: D |