Targeting Extracellular Polymeric Substances and Multidrug‐Resistant Bacteria Biofilms Using Zinc Oxide–Enhanced Chitosan/Polyvinyl Alcohol Nanofibers Deposited on Bacterial Cellulose

The rapid emergence of antimicrobial resistance, particularly among multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDRB) and biofilm-associated infections, poses a critical public health threat. In this study, a multifunctional nanocomposite with enhanced antibiofilm potential was developed by integrating zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) into a bacterial cellulose (BC)-based scaffold. ZnO NPs, synthesized via the co-precipitation method, displayed uniform spherical morphology and were comprehensively characterized using UV-Vis, FTIR, FE-SEM, EDS, XRD, and DLS analyses. A composite nanofiber matrix was fabricated by electrospinning a chitosan (CS)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) blend containing ZnO NPs onto BC, yielding structurally stable BC-PVA-CS-ZnO nanofibers (NFs). Both ZnO NPs and nanofibers exhibited antioxidant activity (30.42% and 34.54%, respectively), and hemocompatibility, confirming their biocompatible nature. Antibacterial studies against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa revealed significant bacterial inhibition, while biofilm assays demonstrated disruption rates of 29.5% (ZnO NPs) and 24.4% (nanofibers), respectively, against P. aeruginosa. The synergistic integration of ZnO with CS/PVA and BC effectively disrupted extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and suppressed MDR biofilms. Owing to its structural integrity, biodegradability, and tissue compatibility, the engineered nanocomposite demonstrates strong potential as an alternative to conventional antibiotics for wound management and prevention of biofilm-related resistant infections.