Victoria Atkinson is a freelance science journalist, specializing in chemistry and its interface with the natural and human-made worlds. Currently based in York (UK), she formerly worked as a science content developer at the University of Oxford, and later as a member of the Chemistry World editorial team.
The hope is that this additive could help prevent leaks while also reducing the risk of a dangerous condition called toxic shock syndrome, the researchers behind the product say.
One reason leaks can occur is because, unlike blood from a vein, menstrual blood doesn't usually coagulate."There are a lot of fibrinolytic enzymes which break down blood clots, as well as clumps of tissue and cells," Hsu told Live Science."It's fundamentally a different type of blood." Using pig's blood modified to prevent clots, the team tested naturally derived sugars to see which could turn it into a gel-like form. Their tests included xanthan gum, a common food additive, as well as alginate and kappa carrageenan, which are derived from seaweed.
The team needed to ensure that powdered alginate was practical for use in menstrual products. They added a small amount of glycerol — a liquid that draws water to itself — to help draw blood through the dry powder. The researchers then created a prototype pad with their new filler and pitted it against conventional pads in laboratory tests. They measured how well the two products absorbed about 0.3 ounces of blood and then tested their ability to retain the fluid under pressure, as if someone were sitting on them.
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