Water Beads - An Expanding or Shrinking Phenomenon?
Location
D.P. Culp Center Ballroom
Start Date
4-5-2024 9:00 AM
End Date
4-5-2024 11:30 AM
Poster Number
32
Name of Project's Faculty Sponsor
John Schweitzer
Faculty Sponsor's Department
Pediatrics
Competition Type
Competitive
Type
Poster Presentation
Presentation Category
Health
Abstract or Artist's Statement
Water beads are super-absorbent polymers (SAPs) that can rapidly expand in aqueous solution. They have gained widespread attention in recent years both as a sensory play toy for children and for sending thousands of children to the emergency department. Water bead ingestion has caused numerous complications for pediatric patients ranging from choking to bowel obstruction, and sadly, even death. This experiment explores the utility of immersing water beads in hyperosmolar solutions to reduce the in-vitro size of the water beads thus possibly reducing the risk of complications following ingestion. Water bead brands, Orbeez Seeds and Leeche Waterbeads, were used for this experiment. Three beads of each brand were used. Water bead diameter and weights were recorded over time intervals (30 mins, one hour, two hours, etc.) in the following solutions after being soaked in normal saline solution for 30 minutes: normal saline, polyethylene glycol 3350 (Miralax), reduced fat 2% milk, and diatrizoate contrast solution (Gastrografin). The water beads were soaked in a solution of normal saline for 30 minutes at the beginning of the experiment to simulate water bead ingestion in the bowel lumen. Water bead diameter and weight increased following immersion most notably in polyethylene glycol 3350 solution, followed by reduced fat 2% milk, normal saline, and diatrizoate contrast solution. Understanding the effect of the above-tested oral solutions may help prevent severe complications in pediatric patients following water bead ingestion. Since diatrizoate contrast solution maintained water bead weight and diameter closest to its dry diameter and weight this may be a viable option for a rapid decrease of water bead size after ingestion by a child, though future studies may be warranted.
Water Beads - An Expanding or Shrinking Phenomenon?
D.P. Culp Center Ballroom
Water beads are super-absorbent polymers (SAPs) that can rapidly expand in aqueous solution. They have gained widespread attention in recent years both as a sensory play toy for children and for sending thousands of children to the emergency department. Water bead ingestion has caused numerous complications for pediatric patients ranging from choking to bowel obstruction, and sadly, even death. This experiment explores the utility of immersing water beads in hyperosmolar solutions to reduce the in-vitro size of the water beads thus possibly reducing the risk of complications following ingestion. Water bead brands, Orbeez Seeds and Leeche Waterbeads, were used for this experiment. Three beads of each brand were used. Water bead diameter and weights were recorded over time intervals (30 mins, one hour, two hours, etc.) in the following solutions after being soaked in normal saline solution for 30 minutes: normal saline, polyethylene glycol 3350 (Miralax), reduced fat 2% milk, and diatrizoate contrast solution (Gastrografin). The water beads were soaked in a solution of normal saline for 30 minutes at the beginning of the experiment to simulate water bead ingestion in the bowel lumen. Water bead diameter and weight increased following immersion most notably in polyethylene glycol 3350 solution, followed by reduced fat 2% milk, normal saline, and diatrizoate contrast solution. Understanding the effect of the above-tested oral solutions may help prevent severe complications in pediatric patients following water bead ingestion. Since diatrizoate contrast solution maintained water bead weight and diameter closest to its dry diameter and weight this may be a viable option for a rapid decrease of water bead size after ingestion by a child, though future studies may be warranted.