Comparing the antimicrobial properties of propolis and silver particle-doped cotton fabric

This study aims to examine the antimicrobial properties and washing resistance of cotton fabrics coated with propolis-doped hydrogel. More specifically, we compared the hygienic properties of AgNO3 (a common antimicrobial agent in textile materials), and the antimicrobial properties of propolis for the first time. We used PVA and NaCMC for hydrogel production because they are biocompatible and non-toxic. Later, we looked at how effective the propolis or AgNO3-doped hydrogel-coated cotton fabrics are against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and Candida albicans fungus, and compared their findings. Our results demonstrated that propolis could be a natural antibacterial alternative to AgNO3. The more active substance content there was, the more antibacterial and washing resistant it became. We used SEM images of the hydrogel coating and SEM–EDX images to how much silver the silver-doped layers contained. ATR–FTIR results also supported flavonoids and phenol in the structure of propolis itself. The changes in the basic comfort properties of the products were at acceptable levels.