Synthetic Calcium Silicate Biocomposite Based on Sea Urchin Skeleton for 5-Fluorouracil Cancer Delivery

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomaterials Engineering
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Synthetic calcium silicates and phosphates are explored for targeted drug delivery in cancer treatment.
• Minimizing systemic toxicity of chemotherapeutics is a critical challenge in oncology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize a novel composite material from a natural source for drug delivery.
• To investigate the properties and drug-carrying capacity of the synthesized composite.

Main Methods:

• Microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis using sea urchin skeletons.
• Characterization using X-ray fluorescence (XRF), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS).
• Sorption studies with 5-fluorouracil and drug release modeling.

Main Results:

• A composite of crystalline wollastonite (CaSiO₃) and combeite (Na₄Ca₄(Si₆O₁₈)) was successfully synthesized.
• The sea urchin skeleton served as both a calcium source and a matrix for a porous framework.
• The composite exhibited a sorption capacity of 12.3 mg/L for 5-fluorouracil.

Conclusions:

• The synthesized calcium silicate composite is a promising biomaterial for targeted chemotherapeutic drug delivery.
• The natural origin and porous structure facilitate its use as a drug carrier.
• Further studies on drug release mechanisms from this inorganic matrix are warranted.