In-situ synthesis and evaluation of Curdlan-based SeNPs composite hydrogel: effect of stability and sustained release

This study used Curdlan (CUR) hydrogels as templates to stabilize selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs), focusing on their stabilization mechanisms, storage stability, release behavior, and digestive stability. Results showed that CUR-stabilized SeNPs were spherical, uniformly dispersed, and had an average size of 36.0 ± 2.5 nm. Increasing CUR concentration improved the system's water-holding capacity, reduced porosity, and formed a denser network structure, which helped stabilize the SeNPs. Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) and rheological analysis indicated that hydrogen bonds contributed significantly to SeNPs stability. The optimal network structure formed at 4 % CUR concentration. At 4 °C, the SeNPs remained uniformly dispersed for 120 days with an average size of 36.0 ± 0.5 nm. The CUR/SeNPs hydrogel showed sustained release, increasing from 1.68 % in simulated gastric fluid to 18.19 % in intestinal fluid. The release behavior conforms to the Korsmeyer-Peppas model. Moreover, CUR/SeNPs hydrogel effectively scavenges DPPH radicals, and its efficiency increases with the amount of released selenium.