Effects of poly(vinyl alcohol) blending with Ag/alginate solutions to form nanocomposite fibres for potential use as antibacterial wound dressings

In this work, nanocomposite fibres and microfibres based on alginate and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were produced and characterized for potential application as antibacterial wound dressings. PVA/Ag/Na-alginate colloid solution was used for the preparation of the fibres by a simple extrusion technique followed by freezing-thawing cycles. UV-Visible spectroscopy confirmed successful preservation of AgNPs in fibres while Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy has shown a balanced combined effect on the Ca-alginate spatial arrangement with the addition of both AgNPs and PVA. The presence of PVA in fibres induced an increase in the swelling degree as compared with that of Ag/Ca-alginate fibres (approx. 28 versus approx. 14). Still, the initially produced PVA/Ca-alginate fibres were mechanically weaker than Ca-alginate fibres, but after drying and rehydration exhibited better mechanical properties. Also, the obtained fibres released AgNPs and/or silver ions at the concentration of approximately 2.6 mu g cm(-3) leading to bacteriostatic effects against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. These results are relevant for practical utilization of the fibres, which could be stored and applied in the dry form with preserved mechanical stability, sorption capacity and antibacterial activity.