| abstract |
The present invention provides electrospun polymer fibers comprising bacteria-containing hydrogel particles. Bacteria-containing hydrogel particles are produced by crosslinking water-soluble polymers to form hydrogels and mixing them with a bacteria suspension. The crosslinking is suitable to be carried out either chemically before the addition of the bacteria suspension or physically before or after this addition. Subsequently, these hydrogel particles are electrospun together with an electrospinnable polymer solution to form fibers or fibre non-wovens. n The bacteria which are located in these hydrogel particles or in the electrospun polymer fibers comprising these particles, respectively, are capable of surviving for a long period (several months) without the supply of water or cell-culture media and are simultaneously protected against the effect of solvents, for example alcohols, acetone, chlorinated hydrocarbons, ethers and toluene, which would otherwise kill said bacteria. The bacteria are suitable to be released again at any time through contact with water and to be replicated under normal culture conditions. n The electrospun polymer fibers according to the present invention comprising bacteria-containing hydrogels are suitable for use in the dry storage of useful bacteria or for killing harmful bacteria. Textiles and membranes, for example, are suitable to be equipped with it. However, they are also suitable for applications in wastewater treatment, environmental protection (water pollution control), the agricultural and food sector, pharmacy, fermentation, and the building industry. |