Abstract

 


Electrospun Poly(vinyl alcohol)/Chitosan (70/30) fibers embedded with cerium oxide nanoparticles (1 to 3 % w/v) were fabricated and evaluated as antimicrobial fibrous materials. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed CeO2 nanoparticles with an average size of 10 nm. Incorporation of CeO2 induced a significant reduction in fiber diameter from 450 nm to 150 nm. Agar diffusion assays against Escherichia coli E. coli and Candida albicans C. albicans revealed inhibition zones of 11.21 mm and 22.86 mm, respectively. These results indicate that CeO₂ incorporation was the principal factor associated with the observed antimicrobial activity, while the polymer composition influenced the apparent diffusion-dependent response. The combination of electrospun PVA-chitosan fibers and cerium oxide nanoparticles exhibits preliminary antibacterial and antifungal activity on a single electrospun platform, with potential biomedical applications.


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