In this study, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and psyllium husk (PSH)/D-limonene electrospun meshes were produced by emulsion electrospinning for use as substrates to prevent the growth of bacteria. D-limonene and modified microcrystalline cellulose (mMCC) were preferred as antibacterial agents. SEM micrographs showed that PVA-PSH electrospun mesh with a 4% amount of D-limonene has the best average fiber distribution with 298.38 ± 62.8 nm. Moreover, the fiber morphology disrupts with the addition of 6% D-limonene. FT-IR spectroscopy was used to analyze the chemical structure between matrix-antibacterial agents (mMCC and D-limonene). Although there were some partial physical interactions in the FT-IR spectrum, no chemical reactions were seen between the matrixes and the antibacterial agents. The thermal properties of the meshes were determined using thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The thermal stability of the samples increased with the addition of mMCC. Further, the PVA-PSH-mMCC mesh had the highest value of contact angle (81° ± 4.05). The antibacterial activity of functional meshes against Gram (-) (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and Gram (+) bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) was specified based on a zone inhibition test. PPMD6 meshes had the highest antibacterial results with 21 mm, 16 mm, and 15 mm against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, respectively. While increasing the amount of D-limonene enhanced the antibacterial activity, it significantly decreased the amount of release in cases of excess D-limonene amount. Due to good fiber morphology, the highest D-limonene release value (83.1%) was observed in PPMD4 functional meshes. The developed functional meshes can be utilized as wound dressing material based on our data.
Keywords: D-limonene; PVA–psyllium husk electrospun meshes; antibacterial activity; emulsion electrospinning; modified microcrystalline cellulose.