Functional modification of agarose: a facile synthesis of a fluorescent agarose-tryptophan based hydrogel

Microwave assisted facile synthesis of a fluorescent agarose-l-tryptophan hydrogel material employing carbodiimide chemistry (dicyclohexylcarbodiimide/4-dimethylaminopyridine; DCC/DMAP) has been described. The product formed fluorescent hydrogel at 1-1.5% (w/v), exhibiting fluorescence emission in water (λmax 350 nm; 1x10(-4)M), which was significantly higher (ca. 65%) than that of tryptophan at the same concentration. Subsequently, the agarose ester was cross linked with the natural cross linker genipin to yield a blue hydrogel (G-Ag-TrpEst), confirming thereby the insertion of tryptophan moiety on to agarose backbone. Both the ester and cross linked hydrogels demonstrated gelling characteristics similar to agarose and were stable across a wide range of pH media (pHs 1.2, 7.0 and 12.5) under ambient conditions. These tryptophan containing fluorescent hydrogel materials may find applications in biomedical and pharmaceutical industries as potential radical scavengers and sensors.