Synthesis, Characterization and Application of DTPA-Modified Chitosan Hydrogel Dressing for Early Decontamination of Radioactive Contamination in Wounds

After a nuclear accident, radioactive nuclides are rapidly absorbed through wounds into the body, causing serious internal radiation injury. In this study, we synthesized chitosan methacryloyl (CSMA) and graft-modified it with the broad-spectrum chelating agent diethylenetriamine pentaacetate (DTPA) to prepare a DTPA-modified chitosan hydrogel dressing (CSMA-g-DTPA). The compounds and hydrogels were examined for their physical and chemical properties and their biological safety was verified. The effectiveness of CSMA-g-DTPA dressings for early decontamination and promotion of wound healing was evaluated in vivo. The results indicated that CSMA-g-DTPA exhibits good mechanical properties and swelling behavior as well as excellent biocompatibility. In vitro experiments revealed that CSMA-g-DTPA is capable of removing uranium and strontium. In vivo experiments demonstrated that the CSMA-g-DTPA hydrogel can decontaminate radioactive Sr-89 and U-238 from rat skin wounds, prevent the absorption of Sr-89 and U-238 through the wounds and alleviate oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in the wounds, thereby promoting wound healing. Overall, the DTPA-modified chitosan hydrogel dressing has good mechanical performance, biosafety and decontamination effects on strontium and uranium. It has potential applications for emergency decontamination of wounds during the early stages of a nuclear disaster.