Transforming seafood waste into therapeutic potential: cholecalciferol-loaded marine bone as a biocompatible antimicrobial and biomedical therapeutic agent

Abstract

The seafood processing industry generates significant shell waste, such as cuttlefish bone (CFB), which poses environmental challenges but is rich in minerals suitable for biomedical applications. In this study, CFB was transformed into calcinated cuttlefish bone (CCFB) with a high specific surface area (92.64 m² g⁻¹) and pore volume (0.16 cm³ g⁻¹), enabling efficient loading of cholecalciferol (vitamin D3; 89.7% loading efficiency). Comprehensive characterization confirmed the structural integrity and adsorption capacity of the material. The incorporation of cholecalciferol into CCFB offered distinct functional advantages over CCFB alone. Cholecalciferol-loaded CCFB exhibited enhanced biocompatibility and great cytotoxic effect against the cancerous cells, as evidenced low cell viability at 500 µg mL⁻¹, superior antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (4-log reduction in viability at 5 µg mL⁻¹), and increased antioxidant capacity (62 nmol GSH per mg protein). The composite also showed ∼50% lower lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release compared to CCFB alone, indicating improved detoxifying properties. In vitro release studies revealed a controlled and sustained release profile of cholecalciferol from the CCFB matrix (94.14% release over 36 h), supporting its potential for prolonged therapeutic action. These combined properties position cholecalciferol-loaded CCFB as a multifunctional, waste-derived biomaterial with improved efficacy for antimicrobial therapy and controlled drug delivery. This work demonstrates a sustainable strategy for seafood waste valorization, offering both environmental benefits and innovative biomedical solutions.