Cellulosic schiff base hydrogel biosensor for bacterial detection with pH/thermo-responsitivity: DFT calculations and...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biotechnology
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Developing novel fluorescent probes is crucial for advanced imaging and diagnostics.
• Sustainable and green synthesis methods for nanomaterials are in high demand.
• Biocompatible hydrogels offer versatile platforms for biomedical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize fluorescent carbon dots (CDs) using a facile green hydrothermal method from sugarcane bagasse (SB).
• To incorporate these CDs into a hydroxyethyl cellulose-acrylamide hydrogel (HEC-AM) for enhanced properties.
• To evaluate the potential of the resulting hydrogel (HEC-AM@N-CDs) as a biocompatible fluorescent probe for bacterial imaging and suppression.

Main Methods:

• Green hydrothermal synthesis of carbon dots (CDs) from sugarcane bagasse (SB).
• Incorporation of CDs into hydroxyethyl cellulose-acrylamide hydrogel (HEC-AM) using glutaraldehyde (GA) crosslinking.
• Fluorescence microscopy for imaging and assessment of bacterial inhibition zones against Gram-negative (E. coli, H. pylori) and Gram-positive (M. luteus, S. aureus) bacteria.
• Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations to investigate bacteria-hydrogel interactions.

Main Results:

• Successfully synthesized fluorescent carbon dots (CDs) from sugarcane bagasse (SB).
• Developed a red-emitting hydroxyethyl cellulose-N-CDs-acrylamide hydrogel (HEC-AM@N-CDs) with enhanced antibacterial activity compared to the hydrogel alone.
• Observed differential fluorescence emission based on bacterial cell wall composition, indicating targeted binding and internalization promoted by N-CDs.
• DFT calculations confirmed strong interactions between bacteria and the HEC-AM@N-CDs composite.

Conclusions:

• The developed HEC-AM@N-CDs hydrogel is a promising biocompatible fluorescent probe for bacterial imaging.
• The N-CDs enhance the hydrogel's antibacterial efficacy and enable differential bacterial detection.
• This work highlights a sustainable approach for creating functional nanomaterials from agricultural waste for biomedical applications.