A multifunctional polyvinyl alcohol and silver (PVA/Ag) nanocomposite film prepared through the in situ reduction of silver ions using vanillin as a reducing agent demonstrates utility as an electrochemical sensing platform for the detection of ciprofloxacin.
The synthesized nanocomposite film was characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).
In antioxidant evaluations, the nanocomposite displayed significant radical scavenging activity. Testing with 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) revealed a maximum radical scavenging activity of 63.74 ± 0.42% at a concentration of 8 mg/mL, alongside a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 5.58 mg/mL.
Antibacterial assessments performed against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus showed limited activity for the nanocomposite. Between the two evaluated bacterial species, the film exhibited relatively more antibacterial activity against E. coli than against S. aureus.
Electrochemical characterization revealed a substantial enhancement of the electroactive surface area at the PVA/Ag modified electrode, which measured 0.1592 cm2. This represents a marked increase over the 0.0338 cm2 recorded for the bare glassy carbon electrode (GCE) and the 0.0336 cm2 observed for the PVA-modified glassy carbon electrode (PVA/GCE), indicating improved electron transport properties.
The electrochemical response of ciprofloxacin was determined to be adsorption-controlled, involving the transfer of two electrons and two protons. Within the investigated range of 1 × 10−5 to 5 × 10−5 M, the modified electrode demonstrated a concentration-dependent response, indicating its potential for the detection of ciprofloxacin.
Subject of Research: Electrochemical sensing and multifunctional properties of PVA/Ag nanocomposite films
Article Title: Vanillin-assisted synthesis of PVA/Ag nanocomposite film as a multifunctional material with antioxidant, antibacterial, and electrochemical sensing properties
Article References: Saini, T., & Meena, J. (2027). Vanillin-assisted synthesis of PVA/Ag nanocomposite film as a multifunctional material with antioxidant, antibacterial, and electrochemical sensing properties. Polymer Bulletin, 84(1), Article 14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00289-026-06754-2
Image Credits: AI Generated
DOI: 10.1007/s00289-026-06754-2
Keywords: PVA/Ag nanocomposite, vanillin, ciprofloxacin detection, electrochemical sensing, antioxidant activity, antibacterial properties, silver nanoparticles, Polymer Bulletin, Vanillin-assisted, synthesis, nanocomposite, film
