Carbohydrate Polymers最新文献

{"title":"Cyclodextrin-enhanced edible coatings for extending shelf life of perishable foods: A comprehensive review with emphasis on fruits and vegetables","authors":"Pitt Supaphol ,&nbsp;Pairayaphak Ngamplang","doi":"10.1016/j.carbpol.2026.125063","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.carbpol.2026.125063","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Global food loss—approximately one-third of all production—demands innovative preservation technologies. Cyclodextrin (CD)-enhanced edible coatings offer a promising sustainable solution combining biodegradability, food-grade safety, and multifunctional preservation capabilities. This review systematically examines CD inclusion complex technology in edible coatings for fruits and vegetables, analyzing how different CD types (α-, β-, γ-CD and modified derivatives) affect encapsulation efficiency, release kinetics, and preservation efficacy. We elucidate how CD incorporation modifies physicochemical properties of coating matrices—including chitosan, alginate, starch, gelatin, and zein—through hydrogen bonding and polymer network interactions that influence thermal, mechanical, rheological, and barrier characteristics. Quantitative synthesis across 40+ studies reveals encapsulation efficiencies of 53–99%, controlled release extending from hours to 35 days, and preservation outcomes achieving 75–200% shelf life extension, 25–60% weight loss reduction, and &gt;90% microbial inhibition in optimized systems. The review critically evaluates structure-property-function relationships, identifies contradictions in mechanical property effects, and assesses regulatory frameworks and scale-up challenges. Key knowledge gaps—including standardized protocols, life cycle assessments, and consumer acceptance studies—are identified, and future research directions emphasizing CD-based metal-organic frameworks and smart responsive coatings are proposed. CD-enhanced edible coatings represent a significant opportunity to reduce food waste while contributing to global food security.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":261,"journal":{"name":"Carbohydrate Polymers","volume":"380 ","pages":"Article 125063"},"PeriodicalIF":12.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146116456","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Functional hyaluronic acid/gelatin hydrogel accelerates the closure and healing of diabetic wounds","authors":"Qianqian Du ,&nbsp;Juan Liu ,&nbsp;Chuanfeng Ding ,&nbsp;Xiaofei Wang ,&nbsp;Liangsheng Li ,&nbsp;Qian Feng ,&nbsp;Hao Tang ,&nbsp;Qian Zhou ,&nbsp;Yongsheng Yu","doi":"10.1016/j.carbpol.2026.125045","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.carbpol.2026.125045","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The healing of extensive drug-resistant and skin area diabetic wounds poses significantly greater challenges compared to the recovery of typical wounds. Advanced approaches like tissue engineering and regenerative medicine hold promise, exemplified by hyaluronic acid/gelatin/poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAm) hydrogel, a temperature-sensitive auto-shrinkage hydrogel with injectable biomimetic mechanical functions. Here, aldehyde-modified hyaluronic acid (HA-CHO) and hydrazide-grafted gelatin (Gel-ADH) are chosen, crosslinked to form a gel by the Schiff base reaction, introduced with PNIPAm to accelerate the wound contraction, and loaded with the pro-angiogenic peptide Ten-2 and the antimicrobial peptides IB-367. Both <em>in vitro</em> and <em>in vivo</em> studies illustrate their effectiveness in accelerating and facilitating the healing process of skin wounds. The hydrogel is able to consistently and successfully suppress the growth of bacteria in the wound, and upregulate the expression of pro-inflammatory factors TGF-β1, α-SMA, and p-Smad2, all of which could aid in the healing process of diabetic wounds. This injectable hydrogel containing antimicrobial peptides and accelerating wound healing mimics the contractile characteristics of myofibroblasts through its biomimetic mechanical mechanism. It can adapt to the dynamic changes of the skin and help repair diabetic wounds that are challenging to treat and may prove to be a good option for regenerative medicine.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":261,"journal":{"name":"Carbohydrate Polymers","volume":"380 ","pages":"Article 125045"},"PeriodicalIF":12.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146116458","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Precision assembly of ethyl cellulose–zein Janus nanoparticles with lock-and-key structures for controlled release of quercetin and curcumin","authors":"Tianqi Cao,&nbsp;Changhu Xue,&nbsp;Zihao Wei","doi":"10.1016/j.carbpol.2026.125047","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.carbpol.2026.125047","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Janus nanoparticles have attracted widespread attention in co-delivery and controlled release of nutraceuticals due to their anisotropic composition and properties. This study reported a novel method for preparing ethyl cellulose–zein Janus nanoparticles loaded with quercetin and curcumin. Morphological observations indicated that the Maillard reaction-mediated nanoprecipitation method successfully prepared Janus nanoparticles with lock-and-key structures. Multispectral technology and three-phase interfacial tension principle further confirmed the formation of Janus nanoparticles. Notably, the glycosylated bridge generated in the Maillard reaction played a crucial role in the formation of Janus nanoparticles. It enhanced the interface coupling between ethyl cellulose and zein, thus promoting the formation of Janus nanoparticles. Compared with single nanoparticles, Janus nanoparticles exhibited better thermal, storage, and physical stability, which was beneficial for their application in the food industry. It was found that Janus NPs could regionally encapsulate quercetin and curcumin in the EC hemisphere and zein sphere. In vitro digestion experiments indicated that Que/Cur-loaded Janus NPs could achieve the controlled release of quercetin and curcumin in the small intestine and colon, respectively. This study not only offers an idea for synthesizing food-grade Janus nanoparticles but also provides new insights into co-delivery and controlled release of nutraceuticals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":261,"journal":{"name":"Carbohydrate Polymers","volume":"380 ","pages":"Article 125047"},"PeriodicalIF":12.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146116457","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Next-generation chitosan biodegradable films reinforced with bioactive acid-DES: A sustainable solution for improved mechanical, antibacterial, and anti-browning properties","authors":"Dehong Lu ,&nbsp;Huimin Yao ,&nbsp;Nouman Ali Shah ,&nbsp;Sajid Ali ,&nbsp;Li-Yan Zeng ,&nbsp;Ping Shi ,&nbsp;Yuan-Sen Liu ,&nbsp;Ziru Dai ,&nbsp;Hafiz Umer Javed","doi":"10.1016/j.carbpol.2026.125006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.carbpol.2026.125006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The growing demand for sustainable and active food-packaging materials has increased interest in biodegradable biopolymers with improved functional performance. This study developed multifunctional chitosan (CS) films incorporating deep eutectic solvents (DESs) as green bioactive plasticizers to improve antioxidant, antibacterial, and mechanical properties. DESs were prepared using choline chloride with five organic acids, including citric (CA), malic (MA), oxalic (OA), lactic (LA), and ascorbic acids (AA), and the resulting DESs were evaluated for antioxidant and antibacterial activities. AA-DES and OA-DES showed the highest activities and were incorporated into CS films individually and combined (CS-AA-OA) at 1% concentration. Structural characterization (FTIR, XRD, SEM, TGA) and functional assessments were conducted to evaluate mechanical, thermal, and bioactive performance. The CS-OA film exhibited superior mechanical strength (56.42 MPa; 9.10% EB), while CS-AA-OA achieved the highest radical-scavenging activity (DPPH 88.15%, ABTS 98.44%) and strong antibacterial efficacy against <em>E. coli</em> (24.7 ± 0.34 mm) and <em>S. aureus</em> (22.8 ± 0.52 mm). The soil burial test confirmed excellent biodegradability, and coating applications on mushrooms and bananas effectively reduced browning, weight loss, and firmness degradation. The combined incorporation of AA-DES and OA-DES enhanced CS film structure and bioactivity, providing a sustainable, high-performance material for active food packaging.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":261,"journal":{"name":"Carbohydrate Polymers","volume":"380 ","pages":"Article 125006"},"PeriodicalIF":12.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146116459","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Structuring water transport pathway of chitosan/poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogels towards achieving high-efficiency and salt-resistive solar desalination","authors":"Yuankun Wang ,&nbsp;Feng Wang ,&nbsp;Yu Lu ,&nbsp;Defeng Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.carbpol.2026.125035","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.carbpol.2026.125035","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Hydration of polymer networks and hierarchical water transport pathways are crucial for hydrogels as solar evaporators, which require ingenious design from the molecular interactions and pore structures inside the hydrogels to the outside surface architectures. Herein, an anisotropic chitosan (CS)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel was fabricated by combining the Hofmeister effect and directional freezing ways. Four types of water transport pathways were structured: vertically spaced holes (1 mm) and vessels (20–30 μm) in the top part, accompanied by smaller pores (5–10 μm) inside the hole walls, and the channels (20–100 μm) with bimodal size distributions in the bottom part. The vessel-radially around-hole surface pattern could be molded simultaneously, and the hydration ability was easily tunable by changing CS contents. The optimized hydrogel possessed good thermal insulation (0.302 W⸳m⁻¹⸳K⁻¹) and excellent light absorption (&gt;97%), and the vaporization enthalpy was only 787 J⸳g⁻¹. Therefore, the as-fabricated evaporator showed a desirable performance with 4.51 kg⸳m⁻²⸳h⁻¹ evaporation rate and 98.6% energy efficiency (1-sun irradiation). A stable rate (3.02 kg⸳m⁻²⸳h⁻¹) could be well maintained over 100 h in the concentrated brine. This work also proposes an integrated strategy of structuring multidirectional pores and regulating water states of PVA hydrogel by using CS-phosphoric acid as precursor.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":261,"journal":{"name":"Carbohydrate Polymers","volume":"379 ","pages":"Article 125035"},"PeriodicalIF":12.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146076546","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Precise structural characterization and therapeutic potential of a glucomannan polysaccharide from dried rhizome of plant Bletilla striata against ulcerative colitis","authors":"Huidan Hou ,&nbsp;Lifeng Li ,&nbsp;Tahidul Islam ,&nbsp;Jingchun Shi ,&nbsp;Mengyang Hou ,&nbsp;Siliang Jiang ,&nbsp;Xiaohan Zhao ,&nbsp;Chengyuan Lin ,&nbsp;Quanbin Han ,&nbsp;Lin Zhu ,&nbsp;Zhaoxiang Bian","doi":"10.1016/j.carbpol.2026.125038","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.carbpol.2026.125038","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bletillae Rhizoma (Baiji), the dried tuber of <em>Bletilla striata</em> (Thunb.) Reichb.f. (BS), a traditional medicinal plant widely used in Chinese medicine. While polysaccharides from BS tuber (BSP) have attracted attention for their broad industrial applications, their detailed structural features and biological functions remain limited. In this study, a neutral polysaccharide (BSPN, 178 kDa), constituting about 80% of BSP, was extracted and purified. Structural analysis elucidated BSPN as a glucomannan (mannose: glucose = 4: 1), featuring a backbone of →4)-<em>β</em>-D-Man<em>p</em>-(1 → and →4)-<em>β</em>-D-Glc<em>p</em>-(1 → linkages with branching at →4, 6)-<em>β</em>-D-Man<em>p</em>-(1 → positions. Targeted enzymatic hydrolysis, with specific endoglycosidases to cleave characteristic glycosidic bonds, not only verified the purity of BSPN, but also generated diagnostic oligosaccharide fragments that revealed the native glycosidic linkage patterns as well as the precise position of acetyl substitution. Furthermore, BSPN significantly alleviated ulcerative colitis in mice in a dose-dependent manner, improving colon histology, enriching beneficial gut microbiota (<em>Faecalibaculum</em> spp.<em>, Bacteroides</em> spp.<em>, and Bifidobacterium</em> spp.), restoration of short-chain fatty acids levels (including a 69% increase in valeric acid), and upregulating glycoside hydrolase genes (GH1/GH2). Together, our findings provide the first comprehensive structural characterization and anti-colitis evaluation of BSPN, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic agent for ulcerative colitis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":261,"journal":{"name":"Carbohydrate Polymers","volume":"380 ","pages":"Article 125038"},"PeriodicalIF":12.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146116460","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An ultra-expansible chitosan-silk fibroin miniaturized sponge loaded with tranexamic acid modified gelatin for coagulation abnormalities","authors":"Yuxiang Wang ,&nbsp;Haizhou Qiu ,&nbsp;Birui Yang ,&nbsp;Yang Li ,&nbsp;Wentao Wang ,&nbsp;Yujiang Fan ,&nbsp;Li Jiang ,&nbsp;Yong Sun","doi":"10.1016/j.carbpol.2026.125032","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.carbpol.2026.125032","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The coagulation abnormalities, including complex and irregular bleeding surfaces and underlying coagulopathies in patients, are significant clinical cause of uncontrollable hemorrhage and death in accidental trauma. Herein, we have developed an ultra-expansible chitosan-silk fibroin miniaturized sponge (MS-GT) for delivering antifibrinolytic drug — tranexamic acid (TXA) to achieve <em>in situ</em> hemostasis of the first-aid wounds. TXA-modified gelatin was combined with the highly compressed functional chitosan-based sponge through strong hydrogen bonds, which stabilized sponge's compression state and made it easier to undergo thermosensitive dissolution to release its expansion potential. The MS-GT (∼ 3 mm³, thickness &lt; 1 mm) could achieve a volume expansion of over 11 times within five seconds to seal complex and irregular deep wounds without the need for additional specialized instruments. In addition, the loaded TXA promoted the formation of fibrin to enhance hemostatic efficacy for overcoming the bleeding in coagulation disorders, including disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and hemophilia B model, with significantly superior hemostatic effect comparing with bulk sponge and clinical collagen sponge. This chitosan-based MS-GT alleviated the formation of fibrous capsules in the liver during the post-hemostasis regeneration process, offering new insights for the development of emergency hemostatic materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":261,"journal":{"name":"Carbohydrate Polymers","volume":"379 ","pages":"Article 125032"},"PeriodicalIF":12.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146076545","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Chitosan-based advanced biomaterials and stimuli-responsive systems for diabetic ulcer management: From principles to translational potential","authors":"Girish Kumar ,&nbsp;Tarun Virmani ,&nbsp;Abhishek Sharma ,&nbsp;Bhawna Goel ,&nbsp;Nitin Chitranshi ,&nbsp;Md Sayeed Akhtar ,&nbsp;Khalid Orayj ,&nbsp;Joana Galvão Duarte ,&nbsp;Filipa Mascarenhas-Melo","doi":"10.1016/j.carbpol.2026.125005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.carbpol.2026.125005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Diabetic ulcers remain a significant clinical concern because of their poor healing, persistent inflammation, and increased infection risk. Chitosan and its derivatives have emerged as promising biomaterials for ulcer management due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, mucoadhesiveness, pH responsiveness, and intrinsic properties, including hemostatic effects, antibacterial activity, anti-inflammatory properties, antioxidant capabilities, and self-healing capabilities. This review provides a comprehensive and current overview of chitosan-based approaches for diabetic ulcer management, focusing on both conventional and advanced biomaterials, including nanoparticles, hydrogels, nanofibers, microneedles, sponges, and 3D scaffolds. Special attention is given to stimuli-responsive chitosan systems designed to adjust drug release in response to specific cues, such as pH, reactive oxygen species, temperature, enzymes, or glucose levels. To underscore the translation potential, the review compiles commercialized products, recent patents, and clinical trials related to the management of diabetic ulcers based on chitosan formulations. Finally, the integration of AI-driven design with smart chitosan systems is proposed as a future direction towards personalized and predictive diabetic ulcer management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":261,"journal":{"name":"Carbohydrate Polymers","volume":"379 ","pages":"Article 125005"},"PeriodicalIF":12.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146049233","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Modular alginate-based hydrogels embedding multilayer nanofibers: A synergistic strategy for hemostasis, antibacterial, and immunomodulatory therapy","authors":"Hao Liu ,&nbsp;Yujie Lv ,&nbsp;Jiawang Li ,&nbsp;Le Kang ,&nbsp;Menghui Chen ,&nbsp;Langqun Tan ,&nbsp;Xiaoshun Yao ,&nbsp;Huipeng Wang ,&nbsp;Minyue Zhang ,&nbsp;Jianxiang Li ,&nbsp;Jie Zhu ,&nbsp;Chenggong Zhang ,&nbsp;Jianyong Yu ,&nbsp;Dequn Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.carbpol.2026.124977","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.carbpol.2026.124977","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Non-compressible hemorrhage remains a leading cause of trauma mortality, with ineffective management triggering infection, dysregulated inflammation, and multi-organ dysfunction. Herein, we report a multilayer nanofiber-reinforced alginate hydrogel (GT-F) combining rapid hemostasis, strong tissue adhesion, high mechanical resilience, and wound healing. The hydrogel matrix, composed of dopamine-modified methacrylate alginate (AMD) and gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA), was incorporated with tranexamic acid (TAX). The biomimetic multilayer nanofiber framework is constructed from hydrophobic polycaprolactone (PCL) and simultaneously encapsulates both the natural medicinal compound curcumin (Cur) and the quaternary ammonium antibacterial agent (HDEAB). Experimental results indicate that, within an optimal range, increasing AMD content enhances hydrogel crosslinking density, reducing pore size and equilibrium swelling. Compared to conventional GelMA hydrogel, compressive strength was nearly quadrupled, and tensile strength increased over threefold. In vitro and in vivo studies confirm that GT-F hydrogels exhibit excellent biocompatibility, degradability, rapid hemostasis (&lt;30 s), and robust antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. In a rat liver puncture model, GT-F hydrogels markedly outperformed commercial gauze in hemostasis, reduced macrophage inflammatory infiltration, promoted proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression, accelerated wound repair, and exhibited anti-adhesion effects. Collectively, this study offers a promising hydrogel-based adhesive strategy for clinical management of non-compressible hemorrhage and tissue repair.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":261,"journal":{"name":"Carbohydrate Polymers","volume":"379 ","pages":"Article 124977"},"PeriodicalIF":12.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146076548","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Passiflora edulis peel-bioinspired nanosilver/activated carbon-chitosan hydrogel beads - a low-cost, recyclable and robust catalyst for methyl orange reduction","authors":"Thi Be Ta Truong ,&nbsp;Thi Ngoc Linh Nguyen ,&nbsp;Trong Nguyen Le ,&nbsp;Ba Long Do ,&nbsp;Thi Thu Thuy Nguyen ,&nbsp;Minh Vuong Phan ,&nbsp;Quynh Nhu Pham ,&nbsp;Thanh Gia-Thien Ho ,&nbsp;Tri Nguyen","doi":"10.1016/j.carbpol.2026.125027","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.carbpol.2026.125027","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The intensifying challenge of dye-laden industrial wastewater demands catalytic systems that are both highly efficient and environmentally sustainable. Herein, we report a multifunctional hydrogel-based composite catalyst consisting of silver nanoparticles immobilized on activated carbon–chitosan hydrogel beads (Ag/AC–CS Specifically, AgNPs were synthesized via a green route using <em>Passiflora edulis</em> peel extract as a dual reducing and stabilizing agent, in which polyphenols, flavonoids, and ascorbic acid reduce Ag⁺ to Ag⁰, while their oxygen-containing functional groups simultaneously cap and stabilize the resulting nanoparticles. The residual biomass after extraction was further valorized into activated carbon (AC), enabling full utilization of the agricultural waste within a circular economy framework. The hydrogel support was formed by ionic crosslinking of chitosan (CS) with sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP), which effectively immobilized AgNPs, minimized metal leaching, and allowed facile recovery. Comprehensive structural characterization using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDS), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) confirmed uniformly dispersed AgNPs with an average particle size of 15.57 ± 3.64 nm and strong metal–support interactions. In the catalytic reduction of methyl orange (MO) using sodium borohydride (NaBH₄) as the reducing agent, the Ag/AC–CS catalyst achieved 97.35% dye removal within 30 min, with an apparent rate constant of k = 0.127 min⁻¹ under optimized conditions. Notably, continuous fixed-bed operation enabled sustained MO removal performance over five consecutive cycles, with superior stability and throughput compared to batch operation, accompanied by minimal Ag loss and preserved structural integrity. This integrated strategy combining green nanoparticle synthesis, biomass valorization, and a scalable fixed-bed configuration highlights Ag/AC–CS as a promising next-generation catalyst for sustainable and industrially relevant dye remediation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":261,"journal":{"name":"Carbohydrate Polymers","volume":"379 ","pages":"Article 125027"},"PeriodicalIF":12.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146049232","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}