Objective: In this study, pure poly lactic acid (PLA) and glutaraldehyde-modified PLA films were prepared using the solvent casting method.
Method: Their structural characteristics, physiological stability, and biocompatibility were evaluated. The structure and properties of the samples were characterized using tensile testing, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Furthermore, stability in a physiological environment and biocompatibility with Hu02 cells were assessed using the MTT assay.
Results: FTIR and XRD results confirmed the structural modifications. Mechanically, modification with glutaraldehyde led to an increase in tensile strength by approximately 15.26%. Physiological stability analysis revealed that after 28 days, the mass loss percentage was 5.18% for pure PLA films and 5.99% for PLA-glutaraldehyde films. In the biocompatibility assay, the cell viability of the PLA-glutaraldehyde films decreased to below 50% after 5 days.
Conclusions: The results demonstrated that modifying PLA with glutaraldehyde can improve the structural and mechanical properties of the films; however, this improvement is accompanied by potential challenges related to the release of glutaraldehyde residues. Therefore, these materials are potentially suitable for biomedical and biodegradable packaging applications, provided that formulation optimization is conducted to control potential toxicity.