Antimicrobial Activity of Polymer Hydrogels Based on Polyvinyl Alcohol and ZnO Nanoparticles

• Дата: 2026
• Автори: Rybalchenko, N.P., Mozhaeva, L.L., Demchenko, V.L., Kunytskyi, D.V., Dolgoshey, V.B., Voronina, O.K., Matvienko, N.M., Рибальченко, Н.П., Можаєва, Л.Л., Демченко, В.Л., Куницький, Д.В., Долгошей, В.Б., Вороніна, О.К., Матвієнко, Н.М.
• Формат: Стаття
• Мова: Англійська
• Опубліковано: PH "Akademperiodyka" of the NAS of Ukraine 2026
• Онлайн доступ: https://ojs.microbiolj.org.ua/index.php/mj/article/view/372
• Назва журналу: Microbiological Journal

Hydrogel materials based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and hyaluronic acid (HA) have a high potential for use in treating infected wounds due to their biocompatibility, moisturizing properties, and modifiability. The aim of this article is to create hydrogel composites based on PVA with varying contents of hyaluronic acid and ZnO nanoparticles and to evaluate their antimicrobial activity. Methods. The structure of ZnO-containing hydrogels was studied by wide-angle X-ray diffraction using an XRD-7000 diffractometer. The size of ZnO nanoparticles and their distribution in the PVA-HA polymer matrix were analyzed using a JEM-1230 transmission electron microscope. The antimicrobial activity of hydrogels PVA-HA-ZnO was evaluated using the disk diffusion method against the opportunistic pathogens S. aureus, S. epidermidis, E. coli, and P. aeruginosa. Results. Analysis of microphotographs of PVA-HA-ZnO hydrogels containing 0.1 mass% ZnO, obtained by freezing for 6 h, showed the formation of ultrafine nanoparticles statistically distributed within the polymer matrix during the material synthesis process. The antimicrobial activity of hydrogel materials made from PVA, with varying concentrations of hyaluronic acid (3%, 5%, and 9%) and zinc oxide nanoparticles was evaluated. The concentration of ZnO in the hydrogels ranged from 0.05 to 1.0 mass%. Testing was conducted on opportunistic microorganisms, including Gram-positive bacteria (S. aureus, S. epidermidis) and Gram-negative bacteria (E. coli, P. aeruginosa). It was found that the samples demonstrated a concentration-dependent antimicrobial effect. Samples with a higher HA content (9 %) exhibited greater antibacterial activity, particularly against S. epidermidis. Biopolymer hydrogel materials containing higher concentrations of ZnO (0.5%–1.0%) showed effective antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria such as S. aureus and S. epidermidis. No antimicrobial effects were observed against Gram-negative bacteria, including E. coli and P. aeruginosa, in any of the tested samples. The antimicrobial activity of PVA-based hydrogel materials without added hyaluronic acid was also evaluated. These materials contained zinc acetate salts (Zn(OOCCH₃)₂), which were not reduced to form nanoparticles. The zinc acetate concentration recalculated as ZnO content was 1.0 mass%. Hydrogels containing zinc acetate were found to be more effective against Gram-positive bacteria, such as S. aureus and S. epidermidis. They showed significant effectiveness against E. coli, a Gram-negative bacterium, but were not effective against P. aeruginosa. Conclusions. The results confirm that the developed hydrogel materials have antimicrobial properties and hold promise as bioactive wound dressings for treating infected wounds. Further modification of the composition — particularly through the addition of nanoparticle mixtures, antibiotics, or antimicrobial peptides — may broaden the activity spectrum and enhance their effectiveness against multidrug-resistant microorganisms.