BioTechniques
09/08/2014 Nicholas Miliaras, Ph.D.
Will an affordable and sustainable solution for osteoporosis and dental decay be found in what doesn’t go into the beer keg?
During a routine dental appointment, the dentist commented on the high price—nearly 150 euros per gram—of the material used for treatment to his patient, Maria Angeles Martin-Luengo of the Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales in Madrid. That material, largely composed of calcium phosphate, supports the development and differentiation of bone progenitor cells (osteoblasts).
As luck would have it, Martin-Luengo's research focuses on ways to recycle agricultural residues from processes such as beer production, which leaves behind a byproduct called bagasse that is a rich source of calcium, silicon, magnesium, and phosphorous—elements supporting bone development.
Since beer bagasse is similar in composition to the dental material but far less expensive—just 40 euros per ton—Martin-Luengo thought it might be a suitable alternative for bone tissue engineering scaffolds or as a coating for orthopedic and dental implants. "The idea came together, and we contacted a colleague to test the biocompatibility," she said.
In order to obtain a pure preparation, Martin-Luengo and her colleagues first heated bagasse acquired from 3 breweries to a series of high temperatures, from 200° to 1000°C, to remove moisture and organic compounds. They assayed the properties of the material remaining at each temperature for chemical composition, structure, particle size, and porosity. They then tested samples of the material from different temperatures for their effects on the mouse osteoblast cell line MC3T3E1, compared with a hydroxylapatite control, in basal and osteogenic media. The bagasse-derived materials were not cytotoxic and had no inhibitory effect on the induction of osteogenesis or matrix mineralization.
Combining a materials science and cell biological approach to research is in itself quite daunting, but Martin-Luengo noted that the greatest challenge was bias against a naturally derived tissue scaffold. “It was difficult to find colleagues who were willing to treat these materials in comparison with conventional ones, which being from synthetic origin are normally of higher price and with higher negative environmental impact, [even though] materials derived from edible plants are more likely to be less toxic than those of synthetic origin.”
Martin-Luengo and her group are also investigating biomaterials derived from other agricultural wastes for use as tissue substrates for other applications, including soft tissue replacement and the removal of toxins and environmental contaminants. “One must not forget that low cost and respect for the environment are always on our side,” she said.
Reference
Rojo, E. et al. Preparation, characterization and in vitro osteoblast growth of waste-derived biomaterials. RSC Advances, 2014, 4, 12630-12639. DOI: 10.1039/C3RA47534D
09/08/2014 Nicholas Miliaras, Ph.D.
Will an affordable and sustainable solution for osteoporosis and dental decay be found in what doesn’t go into the beer keg?
During a routine dental appointment, the dentist commented on the high price—nearly 150 euros per gram—of the material used for treatment to his patient, Maria Angeles Martin-Luengo of the Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales in Madrid. That material, largely composed of calcium phosphate, supports the development and differentiation of bone progenitor cells (osteoblasts).
As luck would have it, Martin-Luengo's research focuses on ways to recycle agricultural residues from processes such as beer production, which leaves behind a byproduct called bagasse that is a rich source of calcium, silicon, magnesium, and phosphorous—elements supporting bone development.
Since beer bagasse is similar in composition to the dental material but far less expensive—just 40 euros per ton—Martin-Luengo thought it might be a suitable alternative for bone tissue engineering scaffolds or as a coating for orthopedic and dental implants. "The idea came together, and we contacted a colleague to test the biocompatibility," she said.
In order to obtain a pure preparation, Martin-Luengo and her colleagues first heated bagasse acquired from 3 breweries to a series of high temperatures, from 200° to 1000°C, to remove moisture and organic compounds. They assayed the properties of the material remaining at each temperature for chemical composition, structure, particle size, and porosity. They then tested samples of the material from different temperatures for their effects on the mouse osteoblast cell line MC3T3E1, compared with a hydroxylapatite control, in basal and osteogenic media. The bagasse-derived materials were not cytotoxic and had no inhibitory effect on the induction of osteogenesis or matrix mineralization.
Combining a materials science and cell biological approach to research is in itself quite daunting, but Martin-Luengo noted that the greatest challenge was bias against a naturally derived tissue scaffold. “It was difficult to find colleagues who were willing to treat these materials in comparison with conventional ones, which being from synthetic origin are normally of higher price and with higher negative environmental impact, [even though] materials derived from edible plants are more likely to be less toxic than those of synthetic origin.”
Martin-Luengo and her group are also investigating biomaterials derived from other agricultural wastes for use as tissue substrates for other applications, including soft tissue replacement and the removal of toxins and environmental contaminants. “One must not forget that low cost and respect for the environment are always on our side,” she said.
Reference
Rojo, E. et al. Preparation, characterization and in vitro osteoblast growth of waste-derived biomaterials. RSC Advances, 2014, 4, 12630-12639. DOI: 10.1039/C3RA47534D