ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF CELLULOSE NANOFIBERBASED HYDROGELS FROM ABACÁ BANANA PSEUDO-STEM FIBRE

Abstract

Abacá (musa textilis) is a tropical plant and a notable producer of strong natural fibers of high quality. The cellulose nanofibers (CNF) can be further formulated as fillers in biomedical hydrogels. This study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial properties and physicochemical characteristics of cellulose nanofiber-based hydrogels (CNF hydrogels) derived from abacá pseudo-stem fibers crosslinked with gelatin and glutaraldehyde (GA) as biomedical hydrogels for facial masks. The research began with the preparation of abacá fibers from pseudo-stems, followed by the isolation of cellulose nanofibers from α-cellulose derived from abacá fibers. The CNF hydrogels were crosslinked with gelatin and glutaraldehyde through chemical reactions. The hydrogels were then characterized using the following analyses, i.e swelling test, degree of crosslinking, XRD, and antimicrobial activities. The optimum condition in preparing the hydrogel was found in the addition of 0.5 g CNF, which resulted in good results based on the swelling test and degree of crosslinking. Also, the CNF hydrogels displayed good crystallinity and morphologies, and the presence of high antimicrobial activities against microbial pathogens (Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus), which proved their potential as biomedical hydrogels for facial masks.