Investigation of Photobleaching Dynamics of Functionalized Curcumin in PVC for Antimicrobial Photodynamic Applications

This study investigates the photobleaching behavior of curcumin-functionalized endotracheal tubes (ETTs) under a specific laser exposure of 455nm of emission. The UV-vis absorption spectra showed a significant reduction in absorbance, indicating the degradation of curcumin. Fluorescence of the ETT surface demonstrate the decrease in the curcumin depending on the exposure dose and DMSO-extracted solutions displayed altered fluorescence and the emergence of new chromatographic bands, with species having m/z values of 296, 385, 415, and 427, which were not present in the original curcumin solution. These findings suggest the formation of unknown photoproducts during the photobleaching process. Understanding these degradation pathways is essential for optimizing the performance of curcumin-functionalized materials in photodynamic applications.