Curcumin-loaded polycaprolactone/carboxymethyl chitosan nanofibers with photodynamic inactivation of Staphylococcus aureus developed by solution blow spinning

The purpose of the present study was to utilize solution blow spinning to fabricate curcumin (CUR)-loaded polycaprolactone (PCL)/carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCH) nanofibers with photodynamic inactivation activity for inactivation of S. aureus. The results of ATR-FTIR and XRD spectra demonstrated the successful encapsulation of CUR without disrupting the structure of the nanofibers and increasing the crystallinity of the nanofibers. After the encapsulation of CUR, the thermal stability, tensile strength, and hydrophobicity of the PCL/CMCH nanofibers were improved. Besides, the CUR-loaded PCL/CMCH nanofibers possessed good biocompatibility and low toxicity, and could release CUR sustainably over 120 h. Moreover, the obtained nanofibers showed better inhibition of S. aureus under blue light irradiation at a wavelength of 450 nm compared to the no-light condition. The above results suggested that the developed nanofibers with photodynamic inactivation can be applied as food packaging materials to reduce the impact of S. aureus on human wellness.