Cytotoxicity and Antibacterial Activity of Ag@MOF-5 Loaded Alginate–Gelatin Hydrogel as a Promising Antimicrobial Biomaterial

The development of safe multifunctional biomaterials that possess antibacterial activity is of great importance. In this study, a composite alginate–gelatin hydrogel incorporating silver-modified MOF-5 was developed to enhance antibacterial activity. The successful synthesis of the samples was confirmed by XRD characterization of MOF-5, showing characteristic peaks at 2θ = 6.8°, 9.6°, and 13.7°, which remained identifiable after modification with Ag. FTIR analysis of the Hy/Ag(20)@MOF-5 sample indicated an interaction between the carboxylate groups (–COO–) of alginate and the amino groups (–NH₂) of gelatin, with the absorption band shifting from 1583 cm⁻¹ to 1545 cm⁻¹, signifying the incorporation of Ag@MOF-5 within the hydrogel matrix. SEM-EDX results of Hy/Ag(20)@MOF-5 revealed a uniformly porous surface structure and confirmed the presence of Zn, O, C, and Ag elements. Ag@MOF-5 in alginate-gelatin hydrogel causes a decrease in the swelling ratio and biodegradability percentage. The release profile of Ag indicates that in the Hy/Ag(20)@MOF-5 sample, the concentration of released Ag is higher at 7.4 µg/mL after 24 hours; however, the release of Ag ions remains controlled. The cytotoxicity test, shows a cell viability of over 79 % across all sample types, categorizing them as non-toxic within the tested concentration range. The antibacterial activity test results indicate that the hy/Ag(20)@MOF-5 sample exhibits the highest antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, with MIC values of 1.2 ± 0.1 and 1.0 ± 0.1 mg/mL, respectively, and MBC values of 2.5 ± 0.1 and 2.7 ± 0.2 mg/mL, and is capable of killing all bacteria within 24 hours.