Antibiotic loaded fly ash-derived geopolymer spheres

• Main Authors: Dellosa, Sophia Bianca A., Toh, Casey Irene L.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2018
• Subjects: Amoxicillin; Escherichia coli; Drug carriers (Pharmacy)
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/5888
• Institution: De La Salle University

The quest for reducing greenhouse gas emissions has resulted in the creation of more innovative and energy-efficient technologies. Porous geopolymers, characterized by their three-dimensional structure with fixed but tunable pore sizes, have captured significant research interest due to their prospective industrial applications. Studies were conducted to evaluate the ability of fly ash-derived geopolymer spheres to act as a drug carrier by loading it with amoxicillin. Preliminary cargo diffusion analysis revealed that amoxicillin dissociated from the matrix gradually, insinuating that the drug was able to leach from the spheres. Initial antibacterial activity of the material was also assessed using a modified disk diffusion assay, resulting in the repression of the growth of Escherichia coli. The results presented suggest a promising drug-carrying potential of the geopolymer, which can be used in diverse applications.