Sanchez Micaela A, Baschini Miria T, Pozo Manuel, Gramisci Betina R, Roca Jalil María E, Vela María L
Engineering School, Comahue National University, Neuquén 8300, Argentina.
Institute for Research and Development in Process Engineering, Biotechnology and Alternative Energies (PROBIEN), CONICET-Comahue National University, Neuquén 8300, Argentina.
Materials (Basel). 2023 Jul 18;16(14):5062. doi: 10.3390/ma16145062.
The Copahue Thermal Center, situated in Neuquén, Argentina, produces natural and matured peloids, which are employed in the prevention and treatment of various osteoarticular and dermatological disorders. The presence of sulfur as a constituent and its thermotherapeutic potential constitute the primary strengths of these peloids. Nevertheless, accessing Copahue is challenging due to its distance from densely populated centers and the snow cover during the winter months in the southern hemisphere. Therefore, in order to propose a material that can be utilized year-round in any location, a mudpack was obtained by combining medicinal paraffin with dehydrated Copahue peloids, with concentrations evaluated up to 10% . This mudpack was analyzed through X-ray diffraction, which detected the presence of sulfur, the most important component of Copahue's peloids. Through IR spectroscopy, the signals that identify medicinal paraffin were clearly observed, and for concentrations of 6% and 10% peloid in the material, it was possible to detect the presence of mineral clay components associated with Si-O stretching vibrations at around 1041 cm. The low values of luminosity and grey tonality obtained for the mudpack contributed to patient acceptability and the absorption of electromagnetic radiation. The experimental cooling rate, calculated using the ratio of the temperature variation (∆T) with respect to the time variation (∆t) in each interval of the experimental curve, was determined to be 0.6 °C·min for both paraffin and the mudpack. However, for peloids, higher values ranging from 0.6 to 4.8 °C·min were obtained. This suggests that the mudpack mixtures have a slower heat release, which is a desirable property for their use as a thermotherapeutic agent. Considering the reusability of the mudpack, its stability was evaluated after 10 cycles of cooling and heating through XRD, DSC, and FTIR tests, resulting in a system that retains its properties. The formulation of the obtained mudpack is promising for the development of these materials on a larger scale.
科帕韦热疗中心位于阿根廷内乌肯省，生产天然且成熟的泥疗剂，用于预防和治疗各种骨关节及皮肤疾病。硫作为其成分之一的存在及其热疗潜力构成了这些泥疗剂的主要优势。然而，由于其距离人口密集中心较远，且在南半球冬季有积雪覆盖，前往科帕韦具有挑战性。因此，为了提出一种可在任何地点全年使用的材料，通过将药用石蜡与脱水的科帕韦泥疗剂混合获得了一种泥敷剂，评估的浓度高达10%。通过X射线衍射对这种泥敷剂进行分析，检测到了硫的存在，硫是科帕韦泥疗剂的最重要成分。通过红外光谱法，清晰地观察到了识别药用石蜡的信号，并且对于材料中泥疗剂浓度为6%和10%的情况，有可能检测到与1041厘米左右的Si - O伸缩振动相关的矿物粘土成分的存在。泥敷剂获得的低亮度值和灰色色调有助于患者接受以及电磁辐射的吸收。使用实验曲线每个区间内温度变化（∆T）与时间变化（∆t）的比值计算得出的实验冷却速率，石蜡和泥敷剂均确定为0.6℃·分钟。然而，对于泥疗剂，获得了0.6至4.8℃·分钟的较高值。这表明泥敷剂混合物的热释放较慢，这是其作为热疗剂使用时的理想特性。考虑到泥敷剂的可重复使用性，通过X射线衍射、差示扫描量热法和傅里叶变换红外光谱测试对其在10次冷却和加热循环后的稳定性进行了评估，结果得到了一个保持其性能的系统。所获得的泥敷剂配方对于大规模开发这些材料具有前景。
