Polyvinyl-alcohol/polyvinyl-pyrrolidone membranes coated with violacein pigments as antibacterial agent for wound dressing application

Abstract

Polyvinyl-alcohol (PVA) and polyvinyl-pyrrolidone (PVP) are among common polymers used in producing wound dressing due to their non-toxicity, biodegradable, and hydrophilicity properties.  Two methods were used to produce the PVA/PVP membranes which are casting and electrospinning. The membranes were dip-coated into violacein pigment as an antibacterial agent. The results from attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) show that, using electrospinning, the PVA/PVP membrane was chemically bonded and crosslinked while by casting the polymers form physical bonding. Meanwhile, the tensile strength analysis gave a modulus elasticity value of electrospun membrane (4.2662 N), casted membrane (2.8029 Nm^-2), electrospun-violacein membrane (2.0959 N), and casted-violacein membrane (0.7287 N). Field emission sanning electron microscopy (FESEM) shows where electrospun membranes have fibres with beads and swollen after dipped into violacein pigment. Casted membranes have no fibre and have no difference after dipped into violacein pigment. In thermal analysis, an exothermic process and multistage decomposition occurred where all the membranes showed two degradation points. The release rate of the membranes increased with time where the constant concentrations of electrospun and casted membranes were 35.176 μg and 25.176 μg respectively. The antibacterial activity gave positive results in positive control of the electrospun PVA/PVP-violacein membrane where the inhibition region yield was 30.8%. In conclusion, this study shows that electrospun membranes give better results over casted membranes and the addition of antibacterial agents gives added values for the membranes to be applied as wound dressing.