Gellan Gum based Silver Nanocomposite Hydrogel: Preparation, Characterisation and Anti-Bacterial Study

Abstract

Abstract The mixture of Gellan gum (GG), acrylamide (AAm), and 2-Acrylamido methyl propane sulphonic acid (AMPS) in presence of Ammonium persulphate (APS) as a intiator, and N,N-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) as cross linker resulted in the cross linked graft copolymer network (GG-g-poly(AAm-co-AMPS)) using microwave assisted method. Silver nano particles have been formed and stabilized by using trisodium citrate in the gel network to reduce silver nitrate. The hydrogel and nanocomposite were characterized using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and UV-Vis techniques. UV-Vis spectroscopy confirmed the presence Ag NPs in the hydrogels due the characteristic plasmon resonance surface. The presence of Ag NPs is also confirmed by XRD. The effect on the biological study of GG - g - poly(AAm - co - AMPS) gel of incorporation of Ag NPs was evaluated by zone inhibition method considering two bacterial strains. The composite nano gel showed higher antibacterial activity compared to the parent gel.