The evaluation of a gelatin-based soft pad for photodynamic therapy application with controlled release of methylene blue

The evaluation of a gelatin-based soft pad for photodynamic therapy application with controlled release of methylene blue | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article The evaluation of a gelatin-based soft pad for photodynamic therapy application with controlled release of methylene blue Antanas Straksys, Simona Matulaityte, Egle Zalyte, Arunas Stirke This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6528806/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 09 Feb, 2026 Read the published version in Polymer Bulletin → Version 1 posted 9 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Hydrogels with antimicrobial photodynamic therapy properties show considerable promise for applications such as skin infection management and chronic wound healing. To ensure biocompatibility and functionality, hydrogels must be derived from natural materials that mimic the properties of skin. In this study, a gelatin-based hydrogel was synthesized using a one-pot method, incorporating glutaraldehyde as a crosslinking agent and methylene blue as a photosensitizer. The influence of glutaraldehyde and methylene blue on the hydrogel's physicochemical properties, mechanical behaviour, swelling capacity, and enzymatic activity was systematically evaluated. The mechanical properties, including elongation at yield, ultimate tensile strength, and Young’s modulus, were measured, revealing a strong dependence on the synthesis parameters. The swelling ratio of the hydrogels demonstrated significant variation; the gelatin hydrogel exhibited a decrease from 361.8% to 298.1%, while the addition of methylene blue increased swelling from 436.8% to 325.3%. To assess enzymatic degradation, trypsin was selected as the proteolytic enzyme. Results indicated that methylene blue-modified hydrogels underwent enzymatic hydrolysis at twice the rate of unmodified hydrogels. Furthermore, the controlled release of methylene blue was analyzed, showing a decrease in concentration from 0.51 mg/g to 0.32 mg/g over time. Gelatin Hydrogel synthesis methylene blue enzymatic hydrolysis DPIBF sensitizer Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 09 Feb, 2026 Read the published version in Polymer Bulletin → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 23 Dec, 2025 Reviews received at journal 22 Dec, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 15 Dec, 2025 Reviews received at journal 31 Oct, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 18 Oct, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 08 Oct, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 25 Apr, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 25 Apr, 2025 First submitted to journal 25 Apr, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-6528806","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":532064340,"identity":"8ef38d49-7c07-4b03-943f-59bcd1b1c8b3","order_by":0,"name":"Antanas Straksys","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAABAUlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYLADxgYgwc98AMS2wKOOGUqzQbVItiWDuBISxGsxOEZAC//s/oOfC2rqGOTn9z78OOPPYXvjY/xHN/xgkKjDpUXizmFm6RnHDgMNZzeW3Nh2OHHbMWa2mz34HHYjmUGah+0AgwEbG4Pkw4bDCWb3m9lu43OY/I1k5t88/4AOa2Nj/vkA5LA2ZvxaDG4ks0nztgHD4Bgbm+QGtsOMG9gIaDG8kWxmzdt3mMfgWBqb5cy29MQZx5jNbvYYSEg24NAidyPx8W2eb3Vy8s3HmG/2/LG2529jfHbjR4UNP07vQwEPlG6GOZiQBgTAGRujYBSMglEwggEA4NRPPCienM8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"Center for Physical Sciences and Technology","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Antanas","middleName":"","lastName":"Straksys","suffix":""},{"id":532064341,"identity":"5406b3f5-fed0-45d4-98d8-cb097fdb45f6","order_by":1,"name":"Simona Matulaityte","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Center for Physical Sciences and Technology","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Simona","middleName":"","lastName":"Matulaityte","suffix":""},{"id":532064342,"identity":"71047525-eb12-47f2-bea4-b31496868eb5","order_by":2,"name":"Egle Zalyte","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Center for Physical Sciences and Technology","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Egle","middleName":"","lastName":"Zalyte","suffix":""},{"id":532064343,"identity":"cd1c47d5-693a-4a00-8f86-604c9d497fc6","order_by":3,"name":"Arunas Stirke","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Center for Physical Sciences and Technology","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Arunas","middleName":"","lastName":"Stirke","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-04-25 12:08:28","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6528806/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6528806/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00289-026-06315-7","type":"published","date":"2026-02-09T15:57:56+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":102786439,"identity":"1fc0749d-4ddc-4d2b-b79b-32e7527488d1","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-02-16 16:13:36","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1186396,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"PBStraksysmanuscriptoriginal.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6528806/v1_covered_42ba5d40-ada8-4d5b-a00e-93909488c94b.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"\u003cp\u003eThe evaluation of a gelatin-based soft pad for photodynamic therapy application with controlled release of methylene blue\u003c/p\u003e","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"polymer-bulletin","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"pobu","sideBox":"Learn more about [Polymer Bulletin](http://link.springer.com/journal/289)","snPcode":"289","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/289/3","title":"Polymer Bulletin","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"Gelatin, Hydrogel synthesis, methylene blue, enzymatic hydrolysis, DPIBF sensitizer","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6528806/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6528806/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"Hydrogels with antimicrobial photodynamic therapy properties show considerable promise for applications such as skin infection management and chronic wound healing. 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