DUAL ACTION ELECTROCHEMICAL BANDAGE OPERATED by a PROGRAMMABLE MULTIMODAL WEARABLE POTENTIOSTAT

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Antimicrobial Research

Background:

• Biofilm-infected chronic wounds pose significant challenges due to microbial resistance.
• Current treatments often struggle to eradicate biofilms effectively.
• Electrochemical bandages (e-bandages) offer a novel approach by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) like hypochlorous acid (HOCl) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to combat infections.

Approach:

• Development of a programmable multimodal wearable potentiostat (PMWP) for controlled ROS generation.
• Integration of an ultralow-power microcontroller and a small coin battery for portability (4.6g).
• Verification of PMWP performance against commercial potentiostats and testing of PMWP-controlled e-bandages against clinical wound pathogens.

Key Points:

• The PMWP system is cost-effective ($6.50 per unit) and suitable for wearable applications.
• PMWP-controlled e-bandages demonstrated broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against biofilms of MRSA, P. aeruginosa, A. baumannii, E. faecium, and C. auris.
• Alternating generation of HOCl and H2O2 by the e-bandage proved effective for dual-action biofilm eradication.

Conclusions:

• The developed PMWP is a functional and effective device for controlling e-bandages in generating ROS for antimicrobial purposes.
• PMWP-controlled e-bandages show significant potential for treating biofilm-infected chronic wounds.
• The system's portability and low cost make it suitable for both animal studies and potential human clinical applications.