Researchers at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) are turning discarded durian husks into antibacterial gel bandages. The process extracts cellulose powder from the husks and mixes it with glycerol, which becomes soft hydrogen – which can then be cut into bandage strips.
So what?
Singapore consumes around 12 million durians a year. The husks which make up half of the durian’s composition is usually discarded and incinerated, contributing to environmental waste. This technology allows such food waste to be utilized and its effects to be mitigated. Further, this technology provides an alternative to conventional bandages whose antimicrobial properties come from more expensive silver or copper ions.
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