A Statistical Approach toward Biofilms Hydrophilicity Characterization: Integrating ANOVA, DOE, and PCA for Starch/Glycerol/CMC Films Case Study.

A combined statistical approach significantly improves the reliability of gravimetric assessments of hydrophilicity in starch/glycerol/carboxymethylcellulose biofilms. This study reveals that traditional methods for evaluating hydrophilicity-related properties are limited by inconsistent experimental conditions and inadequate statistical design. By systematically varying film composition within a pseudocomponent domain and applying ANOVA, Mixture Design, and Principal Components Analysis, we demonstrate that composition-related effects far exceed intrinsic method variability. The results underscore the influence of components on hydrophilic behavior, offering robust and predictive models across the experimental domain. This findings-oriented approach provides a rational framework to optimize formulations, ensuring reproducible and meaningful assessments of the hydrophilicity.