Making Alginate Particles

    1. Prepare a 2.5% solution of sodium alginate in water

    2. Autoclave solution or heat in oven to dissolve alginate (should be yellow and clear)

    3. Mix 20.6 mg calcium carbonate and 74 mg D-glucono-δ-lactone in 1 ml of distilled water (will not dissolve)

    4. Add 1 ml of calcium carbonate/GDL solution to 4 ml of alginate solution in a plastic scintillation vial

    5. Cap the vial and let solution polymerize overnight

    6. After polymerizing overnight, scrap solution into a mortar (largest one available).

    7. Flash-freeze the polymer with liquid nitrogen and use the pestle to crush up the polymer

    8. Add the resulting fine particles to an eppendorf tube and immediately place in the -80 ºC freezer

    9. Freeze-dry