Sustainable Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Polysaccharides: A Green Radical- Mediated Approach for Stable Product Formation

The oxidation of carbohydrates and polysaccharides is essential for producing functional biopolymers used across diverse industrial sectors. Conventional oxidation methods employing agents such as sodium periodate, hypochlorite, TEMPO, and hydrogen peroxide often face limitations including sensitivity to reaction parameters, generation of undesirable byproducts, environmental concerns, and high costs. Here, we introduce a novel, eco-friendly electrooxidation method that integrates hydrogen peroxide with a copper electrode under mild conditions, enabling rapid and efficient polysaccharide oxidation without complex purification steps. The approach was applied to kappa -Carrageenan (k-Car), with characterization by FTIR, NMR, and SEM confirming successful oxidation. The oxidized polysaccharide (Ok-Car) exhibited enhanced antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Demonstrating broad applicability to various polysaccharides, this radical-mediated electrocatalytic technique offers a sustainable platform for scalable and environmentally friendly polysaccharide modification, advancing green chemistry in biopolymer processing.