Investigation of the Antibacterial Activity of ZnO-Loaded Alginate/Hyaluronic Acid Aerogels for Wound Dressing Applications

The prevalence of bacterial infections in wounds is a significant challenge to successful wound healing. This study investigates the antibacterial effect of hyaluronic acid and alginate aerogel loaded with zinc oxide nanoparticles as a potential dressing for wound healing. The aerogel composite was synthesized via supercritical gel drying and characterized by scanning electron microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and nitrogen porosimetry. The absorptivity of the prepared aerogel was evaluated, as well as the antibacterial activity, which was evaluated against common wound pathogens, including <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> and <i>Escherichia coli</i>, using the agar diffusion method. The results show the effective antibacterial properties of the prepared hydrogel and aerogel. Furthermore, the results show water absorption ability of 5791 and 1585% for loaded and unloaded aerogels, respectively. The ZnO released from the aerogel exhibited a rapid release followed by a slow and sustained release. These findings highlight the potential of aerogels based on hyaluronic acid and alginate and loaded with zinc oxide nanoparticles as an innovative antibacterial wound dressing material, which is expected to improve wound healing and reduce the risk of bacterial infections.