In vitro silver ion release kinetics from nanosilver/poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogels synthesized by gamma irradiation

ABSTRACT A nanosilver (nano‐Ag)/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogel device was synthesized with γ irradiation because it is a highly suitable tool for enhanced nano‐Ag technologies and biocompatible controlled release formulations. The amount of the Ag + ions released in vitro by the nano‐Ag/PVA hydrogel device was in the antimicrobial parts per million concentration range. The modeling of the Ag + ion release kinetics with the elements of the drug‐delivery paradigm revealed the best fit solution ( R 2 > 0.99) for the Kopcha and Makoid–Banakar's pharmacokinetic dissolution models. The term A / B, derived from the Kopcha model, indicated that the nano‐Ag/PVA hydrogel was mainly an Ag + ‐ion diffusion‐controlled device. Makoid–Banakar's parameter and the short time approximated Ag + ‐ion diffusion constant reflected the importance of the size of the Ag nanoparticles. However, it appeared that the cell oxidation potential of the Ag nanoparticles depended on the diffusion characteristics of the fluid penetrating into the Ag/PVA nanosystem. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131 , 40321.