TR68: Upcycled Sericin Hydrogel With Lemon Peel Polyphenols And Electrical Stimulation As A Translational Antibacterial Wound Dressing

Worapreya Sutharat Vareechiangmai School

Infected wounds remain a major burden on global healthcare, particularly among diabetic and elderly patients. This study developed an upcycled, electrically conductive hydrogel by combining sericin extracted from silkworm degumming wastewater with polyphenol-rich lemon peel extract, an agricultural by-product that is normally discarded after juice consumption. Graphite (0.5–1.0% w/v) was incorporated to enable low-voltage electrical stimulation (1.5–2.5 V DC). The optimized formulation (8% w/v sericin, 100% v/v lemon peel extract, 1% w/v graphite) produced an inhibition zone of 24.5 ± 1.2 mm against Staphylococcus aureus, comparable to Roxithromycin (25.0 ± 1.5 mm), and 21.8 ± 1.3 mm against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, exceeding Vancomycin (19.5 ± 1.8 mm). The hydrogel exhibited 192% water absorption, 1.8 N adhesion strength, 2.8 N mechanical strength, and an electrical resistance of 265 ± 18 Ω suitable for low-voltage stimulation. Production cost was approximately 48 THB per patch, 52% lower than commercial alternatives, while complete biodegradation (94%) occurred within 28 days. These findings demonstrate that two undervalued waste streams—silk degumming water and lemon peel—can be upcycled into a cost-effective, sustainable, and clinically translatable antibacterial wound-dressing platform with integrated electrotherapeutic capability.