Synthesis of AgO/CuO/PVA/starch hydrogel by casting method and characterizations to safely overcome skin infections: A possible application in wound healing as a dressing

Wounds are frequently developing resistance to a conventional wound dressing. Therefore, bioactive and biodegradable hydrogel membranes that could serve as wound dressing could be a legitimate strategy for wound healing, Herein, a chemically cross-linking method was used to synthesize polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/starch hydrogel, which was subsequently loaded, via the solution casting method, with Silver oxide/Copper oxide (AgO/CuO) nanocomposite (NC) tested at various concentrations (i.e., 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, and 0.7 g/L). The prepared hydrogels were physically characterized through standard techniques, including Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), and Fourier Transform Infrared Radiation (FTIR). The influence of the different AgO/CuO NC concentrations was analyzed through tensile strength , swelling behavior, moisture retention capability (MRC), gel fraction, and water vapor transport (WVT) analyses. The relative toxicity (patch test) of hydrogel membranes was also evaluated on the human skin. The antibacterial potential was investigated against common skin pathogens (i.e., Salmonella typhimurium, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans ) through the disc diffusion method (DDM). SEM images depicted AgO/CuO/PVA/starch hydrogel membranes as shiny, smooth, and dense. XRD analysis revealed the purity and crystallinity of these hydrogels. FTIR data determined the functional chemical groups and confirmed the successful preparation of AgO/CuO/PVA/starch hydrogels. The increased concentrations of AgO/CuO NC in PVA/starch hydrogel membrane has boosted the tensile strength, swelling behavior, and MRC of the hydrogel membranes, whereas the WVT and gel fraction were decreased. Also, the AgO/CuO/PVA/starch hydrogel exerted enhanced antimicrobial activity against all the tested skin pathogens and no toxicity was observed when applied to the human skin. Taken together, the prepared AgO/CuO/PVA/ starch hydrogel is a promising approach for wound dressing due to its desirable mechanical properties, safety, and its excellent barrier against skin pathogen penetration and infection.