Innovation | Health | Menstruation
Innovative Algae-Based Menstrual Pad: A Potential Solution to Stop Leaks
New Prototype Uses Algae-Derived Material to Turn Period Blood into Gel, Reducing Leaks
The Worries and The Innovation
Menstruation often comes with the worry of leaks and discomfort, as current pads, tampons, and cups sometimes fail to keep everything contained. But a new development in menstrual care could change that.
Researchers have created a prototype menstrual pad using an algae-based material that solidifies menstrual blood into a gel, potentially reducing leaks while maintaining absorbency. This exciting innovation was reported in the journal Matter on July 10, 2024.
Rogério Aparecido Bataglioli, a chemical engineer at Virginia Tech emphasized that before this material can be commercially available, it needs to undergo thorough safety and scalability assessments.
Deep Dive
Most menstrual pads today use cellulose-based materials to absorb blood. While these are effective to a certain extent, many people still face the challenge of leakage. To address this issue, Bataglioli and his team turned to alginate, a naturally occurring substance extracted from algae and seaweed. Alginate stood out among several polysaccharides (long carbohydrate molecules) for its ability to absorb and gel blood. It’s already approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in food, pharmaceuticals, and medical materials.
Methodology
To further enhance alginate’s absorption capabilities, the researchers added glycerol. They then compared the absorbency of this new alginate-glycerol mixture with that of commercial absorbents by placing each material between layers of gauze. The team used modified pig blood to simulate menstruation, allowing it to drip through a model vagina before conducting a squeeze test on the soaked materials. While both the new material and the commercial absorbents absorbed the blood well, the alginate-based pads showed less leakage when compressed.
In their tests, the researchers wrapped the new alginate-glycerol material in gauze and dripped pig blood onto it. They then lightly centrifuged the pads to mimic compression and collected any leakage. For comparison, they performed the same test on pads with no added material, those with commercial pad fillers, and those with polyacrylate, the industry-standard superabsorbent polymer. The results showed that the alginate-glycerol material outperformed the others in preventing leaks.
The team also tested the new material in menstrual cups.
They packed the alginate-glycerol powder into a cotton sheath, which was then coiled inside the cup. When menstrual blood entered the cup and came into contact with the alginate, it gelled, making removal and cleaning easier and less messy. Bryan Hsu, a microbiologist at Virginia Tech, explained that the goal was to simplify the process of using and cleaning menstrual cups by solidifying the blood into a gel.
Limitations
However, there are some limitations to this study. One concern raised by ob-gyn Abigail Liberty from Oregon Health & Science University is that the researchers used defibrinated pig blood, which lacks fibrin, a key protein in clotting. While she commended the team for using blood rather than another fluid, she noted that menstrual blood is different from blood circulating in the body and requires different considerations.
The researchers faced challenges due to the lack of existing research on menstrual care and products. As a result, they had to create many of their experimental methods from scratch. Zeinab Hosseinidoust, a biomedical engineer at McMaster University, pointed out the need for more scientific research in this area, emphasizing the importance of expanding knowledge on menstrual care to support innovations like this one.
This new alginate-based material offers a promising solution to the common problem of menstrual leaks. With further research and development, it could lead to more reliable and comfortable menstrual products in the future.
