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Bacterial infectious diseases are serious health problem which extends to economic and social complications. Moreover, bacterial antibiotic resistance, lack of suitable vaccine or emergence of new mutations is forcing the development of novel antimicrobial agents. The objective of this study is to synthesize and characterize star-like zinc oxide nanoparticles for the application of antibacterial activities in cellulose based hygiene products. ZnO NPs were in situ synthesized via precipitation method on the surface of cellulose fibers. Since bactericidal activity of nanoparticles in part depends on the concentration in the growth medium, various amount of ZnO was incorporated into cellulose matrix ranging from 1 to 3 wt%. Microscopic (TEM, SEM) and spectroscopic (FT-IR, XRD) methods were utilized to investigate the final products. The infrared absorption spectra analysis supported by theoretical finding that during the reaction, ZnO nanoparticles could be bonded with cellulose fibers via hydrogen bonding. The yield of functionalization was determined through thermogravimetric analysis. Collected data proved the successful functionalization of the cellulose fibers with nanoparticles. Static contact angle measurements were carried out showing absorptive character of as prepared fabrics. All the samples were tested for the antibacterial properties and the results were compared to the samples prepared from the pristine cellulose fibers. Moreover, mechanical tests were performed revealing that the addition of only 2 wt% of the nanofiller boosted tensile, tearing and bursting strength by a factor of 1.6, 1.4 and 2.2 in comparison to unfunctionalized paper sample, respectively. Fabricated fabric presenting high hydrophilicity and antibacterial properties have gained increased applications in fabric industry, including hygiene product industry and hence the result of this study would be a welcomed option., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Biofilms formed on urinary catheters remain a major headache in the modern healthcare system. Among the various kinds of biocide-releasing urinary catheters that have been developed to prevent biofilm formation, Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs)-coated catheters are of great promising potential. However, the deposition of AgNPs on the surface of catheters suffers from several inherent shortcomings, such as damage to the urethral mucosa, uncontrollable Ag ion kinetics, and unexpected systematic toxicity. Here, AgNPs-decorated amphiphilic carbonaceous particles (ACPs@AgNPs) with commendable dispersity in solvents of different polarities and broad-spectrum antibacterial activity are first prepared. The resulting ACPs@AgNPs exert good compatibility with silicone rubber, which enables the easy fabrication of urinary catheters using a laboratory-made mold. Therefore, ACPs@AgNPs not only endow the urinary catheter with forceful biocidal activity but also improve its mechanical properties and surface wettability. Hence, the designed urinary catheter possesses excellent capacity to resist bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation both in vitro and in an in vivo rabbit model. Specifically, a long-term antibacterial study highlights its sustainable antibacterial activity. Of note, no obvious toxicity or inflammation in rabbits was triggered by the designed urinary catheter in vivo . Overall, the hybrid urinary catheter may serve as a promising biocide-releasing urinary catheter for antibacterial and antibiofilm applications.

Medical device-associated infections are a serious medical threat, particularly for patients with impaired mobility and/or advanced age. Despite a variety of antimicrobial coatings for medical devices being explored to date, only a limited number have been introduced for clinical use. Research into new bactericidal agents with the ability to eradicate pathogens, limit biofilm formation, and exhibit satisfactory biocompatibility, is therefore necessary and urgent. In this study, a series of varied-morphology gold nanoparticles in shapes of rods, peanuts, stars and spherical-like, porous ones with potent antibacterial activity were synthesized and thoroughly tested against spectrum of Candida albicans, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus clinical strains, as well as spectrum of uropathogenic Escherichia coli isolates. The optimization of gold nanoparticles synthesis allowed to develop nanomaterials, which are proved to be significantly more potent against tested microbes compared with the gold nanoformulations reported to date. Notably, their antimicrobial spectrum includes strains with different drug resistance mechanisms. Facile and cost-efficient synthesis of gold nanoparticles, remarkable bactericidal efficiency at nanogram doses, and low toxicity, underline their potential for development as a new coatings, as indicated by the example of urological catheters. The presented research fills a gap in microbial studies of non-spherical gold nanoparticles for the development of antimicrobial coatings targeting multidrug-resistant pathogens responsible for device-associated nosocomial infections.

In the last decade, metal nanoparticles (NPs) have gained significant interest in the field of biotechnology due to their unique physiochemical properties and potential uses in a wide range of applications. Metal NP synthesis using microorganisms has emerged as an eco-friendly, clean, and viable strategy alternative to chemical and physical approaches. Herein, an original and efficient route for the microbial synthesis of copper NPs using bacterial strains newly isolated from an Antarctic consortium is described. UV-visible spectra of the NPs showed a maximum absorbance in the range of 380-385 nm. Transmission electron microscopy analysis showed that these NPs are all monodispersed, spherical in nature, and well segregated without any agglomeration and with an average size of 30 nm. X-ray powder diffraction showed a polycrystalline nature and face centered cubic lattice and revealed characteristic diffraction peaks indicating the formation of CuONPs. Fourier-transform infrared spectra confirmed the presence of capping proteins on the NP surface that act as stabilizers. All CuONPs manifested antimicrobial activity against various types of Gram-negative; Gram-positive bacteria; and fungi pathogen microorganisms including Escherichia coli , Staphylococcus aureus , and Candida albicans . The cost-effective and eco-friendly biosynthesis of these CuONPs make them particularly attractive in several application from nanotechnology to biomedical science.

The inappropriate use of antibiotics and the inadequate control of infections have led to the emergence of drug-resistant strains. In recent years, metallo-pharmaceutics and metallic nanoparticles have been proposed as potential alternative antimicrobials due to their broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties. Moreover, recent findings have shown that combinations of transition metal compounds can exhibit synergistic antimicrobial properties. Therefore, the synthesis and design of bimetallic nanoparticles is a field worth exploring to harness the interactions between groups of metals and organic complex structures found in different microbial targets, towards the development of more efficient combinatorial antimicrobials composed of synergistic metals. In this study, we present a green synthesis of Ag-Fe bimetallic nanoparticles using an aqueous extract from the leaves of Gardenia jasminoides. The characterization of the nanoparticles demonstrated that the synthesis methodology produces homogenously distributed core-shell Ag-Fe structures with spherical shapes and average diameter sizes of 13 nm (± 6.3 nm). The Ag-Fe bimetallic nanoparticles showed magnetic and antimicrobial properties; the latter were evaluated against six different, clinically relevant multi-drug-resistant microbial strains. The Ag-Fe bimetallic nanoparticles exhibited an antimicrobial (bactericidal) synergistic effect between the two metals composing the bimetallic nanoparticles compared to the effects of the mono-metallic nanoparticles against yeast and both Gram-positive and Gram-negative multidrug-resistant bacteria. Our results provide insight towards the design of bimetallic nanoparticles, synthesized through green chemistry methodologies, to develop synergistic combinatorial antimicrobials with possible applications in both industrial processes and the treatment of infections caused by clinically relevant drug-resistant strains.

Aims: To evaluate the ability of the haloarchaeon Haloferax volcanii to produce Ag and Au nanoparticles (NPs) and to characterize the obtained material in order to find relevant properties for future potential applications., Methods and Results: Nanoparticles were produced by incubating H. volcanii cells with the corresponding metal salt. In the presence of precursor salts, cultures evidenced a colour change associated to the formation of metallic nanostructures with plasmonic bands located in the visible range of the spectrum. X-ray fluorescence analysis confirmed the presence of Ag and Au in the NPs which were spherical, with average sizes of 25 nmol l -1 (Ag) and 10 nmol l -1 (Au), as determined by electronic microscopy. Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy indicated that both types of NPs showed a stable protein capping. Ag NPs evidenced antibacterial activity and Au NPs improved the specificity of polymerase chain reaction reactions. Au and Ag NPs were able to reduce 4-nitrophenol when incubated with NaBH 4 ., Conclusions: Haloferax volcanii is able to synthesize metallic NPs with interesting properties for technological applications., Significance and Impact of the Study: Our data demonstrate the ability of H. volcanii to synthesize metal NPs and constitutes a solid starting point to deepen the study and explore novel applications., (© 2020 The Society for Applied Microbiology.)

The Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) (Funneliformis mosseae), are the most widely distributed symbiont assisting plants to overcome counteractive environmental conditions. In order to improve the sustainability and the activity of AMF, the use of nanotechnology was important. The main objective of this study was to investigate the effect of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) on the activity of AMF in common bean roots as well as its activity under salinity stress using morphological and molecular methods. The activity of AMF colonization has increased in the presence of TiO2NPs especially for arbuscule activity (A%), which increased three times with the presence of TiO2NPs. The improvement rate of Funneliformis mosseae on plant growth increased from 180% to 224% of control at the lowest level of salinity and increased from 48% to 130% at higher salinity level, respectively. The AMF dependencies for plant dry biomass increased in the presence of TiO2NPs from 277% in the absence of salinity to 465 and 883% % at low and high salinity levels, respectively. The presence of AMF co-inoculated with TiO2NPs resulted in increasing the salinity tolerance of plants at all levels and reached 110% at salinity level of 100 mM NaCl. Quantitative colonization methods showed that the molecular intensity ratio and the relative density of paired inocula AMF Nest (NS) or chitin synthases gene (Chs) with TiO2NPs were higher significantly P.>0.05 than single inoculants of AMF gene in roots under the presence or the absence of salinity by about two folds and about 40%. Hence, the positive effect of TiO2NPs was confined to its effect on AMF not on bean plants itself., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Cost and energy reductions in the production process of bismuth chalcogenide (BC) semiconductor materials are essential to make thermoelectric generators comprised of BCs profitable and CO 2 neutral over their life cycle. In this study, as an eco-friendly production method, bismuth selenide (Bi 2 Se 3 ) nanoparticles were synthesized using the following five strains of chalcogen-metabolizing bacteria: Pseudomonas stutzeri NT-I, Pseudomonas sp. RB, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia TI-1, Ochrobactrum anthropi TI-2, and O. anthropi TI-3 under aerobic conditions. All strains actively volatilized selenium (Se) by reducing selenite, possibly to organoselenides. In the growth media containing bismuth (Bi) and Se, all strains removed Bi and Se concomitantly and synthesized nanoparticles containing Bi and Se as their main components. Particles synthesized by strain NT-I had a theoretical elemental composition of Bi 2 Se 3 , whereas those synthesized by other strains contained a small amount of sulfur in addition to Bi and Se, making strain NT-I the best Bi 2 Se 3 synthesizer among the strains used in this study. The particle sizes were 50-100 nm in diameter, which is sufficiently small for nanostructured semiconductor materials that exhibit quantum size effect. Successful synthesis of Bi 2 Se 3 nanoparticles could be attributed to the high Se-volatilizing activities of the bacterial strains. Selenol-containing compounds as intermediates of Se-volatilizing metabolic pathways, such as methane selenol and selenocysteine, may play an important role in biosynthesis of Bi 2 Se 3 .

Sulfur minerals originating from coal mining represent an important environmental problem. Turning these wastes into value-added by-products can be an interesting alternative. Biotransformation of coal tailings into iron-containing nanoparticles using Rhodococcus erythropolis ATCC 4277 free cells was studied. The influence of culture conditions (stirring rate, biomass concentration, and coal tailings ratio) in the particle size was investigated using a 2 3 full factorial design. Statistical analysis revealed that higher concentrations of biomass produced larger sized particles. Conversely, a more intense stirring rate of the culture medium and a higher coal tailings ratio (% w/w) led to the synthesis of smaller particles. Thus, the culture conditions that produced smaller particles (< 50 nm) were 0.5 abs of normalized biomass concentration, 150 rpm of stirring rate, and 2.5% w/w of coal tailings ratio. Composition analyses showed that the biosynthesized nanoparticles are formed by iron sulfate. Conversion ratio of the coal tailings into iron-containing nanoparticles reached 19%. The proposed biosynthesis process, using R. erythropolis ATCC 4277 free cells, seems to be a new and environmentally friendly alternative for sulfur minerals reuse.

Bacteria catalyze the dissolution and re-precipitation of gold, thereby driving the biogeochemical cycle of gold. Dissolution of gold/silver and re-precipitation of gold transforms gold particles by increasing gold purity. While soluble gold complexes are highly cytotoxic, little is known about how gold cycling affects bacterial communities residing on gold particles. Micro-analysis of gold particles obtained from Western Australia revealed porous textures and aggregates of pure gold nanoparticles, attributable to gold dissolution and re-precipitation, respectively. By interpreting structure and chemistry of particles, the kinetics of gold biogeochemical cycling at the site was estimated to be 1.60 × 10-9 M year-1. Bacterial communities residing on particles were composed of Proteobacteria (42.5%), Bacteroidetes (20.1%), Acidobacteria (19.1%), Firmicutes (8.2%), Actinobacteria (3.7%) and Verrucomicrobia (3.6%). A bacterial enrichment culture obtained from particles contained a similar composition. Exposure of enrichments to increasing concentrations of soluble gold decreased community diversity and selected for metal-resistant bacteria. Lower gold concentrations, which corresponded well with the concentration from the kinetic rate, provided a selective pressure for the selection of metal-resistant organisms while retaining the overall diversity. In conclusion, biogeochemical gold cycling directly influences bacterial communities on gold particles, thereby contributing to a continuum of particle transformation., (© FEMS 2019.)

The present study was carried out to reduce the size of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by optimizing physico-chemical conditions of the Aspergillus fumigatus BTCB10 growth based on central composite design (CCD) through response surface methodology (RSM). Variables such as a concentration of silver nitrate (mM), NaCl (%) and the wet weight of biomass (g) were controlled to produce spherical, monodispersed particles of 33.23 nm size, observing 78.7% reduction in size as compared to the initially obtained size that was equal to 356 nm. The obtained AgNPs exhibited negative zeta potential of -9.91 mV with a peak at 420 nm in the UV-Vis range whereas Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) analysis identified O-H, C = C, C ≡ C, C-Br and C-Cl groups attached as capping agents. After conducting RSM experiments, a high nitrate reductase activity value of 179.15 nmol/h/ml was obtained; thus indicating a likely correlation between enzyme production and AgNPs synthesis. The F-value (significant at 3.91), non-significant lack of fit and determination coefficient (R 2 = 0.7786) is representative of the good relation between the predicted values of response. We conclude that CCD is an effective tool in obtaining significant results of high quality and efficiency., The present study was carried out to reduce the size of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by optimizing physico-chemical conditions of the Aspergillus fumigatus BTCB10 growth based on central composite design (CCD) through response surface methodology (RSM). Variables such as a concentration of silver nitrate (mM), NaCl (%) and the wet weight of biomass (g) were controlled to produce spherical, monodispersed particles of 33.23 nm size, observing 78.7% reduction in size as compared to the initially obtained size that was equal to 356 nm. The obtained AgNPs exhibited negative zeta potential of –9.91 mV with a peak at 420 nm in the UV-Vis range whereas Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) analysis identified O–H, C = C, C ≡ C, C–Br and C–Cl groups attached as capping agents. After conducting RSM experiments, a high nitrate reductase activity value of 179.15 nmol/h/ml was obtained; thus indicating a likely correlation between enzyme production and AgNPs synthesis. The F-value (significant at 3.91), non-significant lack of fit and determination coefficient (R 2 = 0.7786) is representative of the good relation between the predicted values of response. We conclude that CCD is an effective tool in obtaining significant results of high quality and efficiency.

Finding a safe and broad-spectrum medication is a goal of scientists, pharmacists, and physicians, but developing and fabricating the right medicine can be challenging. The current study describes the formation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by Fusarium mangiferae . It involves the antibiofilm activity of the nanoparticles against Staphylococcus aureus . It also involves cytotoxic effect against mammalian cell lines. Well-dispersed nanoparticles are formed by F. mangiferae . The sizes of the nanoparticles were found to range from 25 to 52 nm, and UV-Vis scan showed absorption around 416-420 nm. SEM, TEM, and AFM results displayed spherical and oval shapes. Furthermore, the FTIR histogram detected amide I and amide II compounds responsible for the stability of AgNPs in an aqueous solution. AgNPs were observed to decrease the formation of biofilm at 75% (v/v). DNA reducing, smearing, and perhaps fragmentation were noticed after treating the bacterial cells with 50% (v/v). Additionally, cell lysis was detected releasing proteins in the supernatant. It was also observed that the AgNPs have the ability to cause 59% cervical cancer cell line (HeLa) deaths at 25% (v/v), however, they showed about 31% toxicity against rat embryo fibroblast transformed cell lines (REF). The results of this study prove the efficiency of AgNPs as an antibiofilm against S. aureus , suggesting that AgNPs could be an alternative to antibiotics. It must also be emphasized that AgNPs displayed cytotoxic behavior against mammalian cell lines. Further studies are needed for assessing risk in relation to the possible benefit of prescribing AgNPs.

Metal-based nanoparticles have gained tremendous popularity because of their interesting physical, biological, optical, and magnetic properties. These nanoparticles can be synthesized using a variety of different physical, chemical, and biological techniques. The biological means are largely preferred as it provides an environmentally benign, green, and cost-effective route for the biosynthesis of nanoparticles. These bioresources can act as a scaffold, thereby playing the role of reducing as well as capping agents in the biosynthesis of nanoparticles. Medicinal plants tend to have a complex phytochemical constituent such as alcohols, phenols, terpenes, alkaloids, saponins, and proteins, while microbes have key enzymes which can act as reducing as well as stabilizing agent for NP synthesis. However, the mechanism of biosynthesis is still highly debatable. Herein, the present review is directed to give an updated comprehensive overview towards the mechanistic aspects in the biosynthesis of nanoparticles via plants and microbes. Various biosynthetic pathways of secondary metabolites in plants and key enzyme production in microbes have been discussed in detail, along with the underlying mechanisms for biogenic NP synthesis.

Bacteria can fabricate platinum group metal (PGM) catalysts cheaply, a key consideration of industrial processes and waste decontaminations. Biorecovery of PGMs from wastes is promising but PGM leachates made from metallic scraps are acidic. A two-step biosynthesis 'pre-seeds' metallic deposits onto bacterial cells benignly; chemical reduction of subsequent metal from acidic solution via the seeds makes bioscaffolded nanoparticles (NPs). Cells of Escherichia coli were seeded using Pd(II) or Pt(IV) and exposed to a mixed Pd(II)/Pt(IV) model solution under H 2 to make bimetallic catalyst. Its catalytic activity was assessed in the reduction of Cr(VI), with 2 wt% or 5 wt% preloading of Pd giving the best catalytic activity, while 1 wt% seeds gave a poorer catalyst. Use of Pt seeds gave less effective catalyst in the final bimetallic catalyst, attributed to fewer and larger initial seeds as shown by electron microscopy, which also showed a different pattern of Pd and Pt deposition. Bimetallic catalyst (using cells preloaded with 2 wt% Pd) was used in the hydrogenation of soybean oil which was enhanced by ~fourfold using the bimetallic catalyst made from a model waste solution as compared to 2 wt% Pd preloaded cells alone, with a similar selectivity to cis C18:1 product as found using a Pd-Al 2 O 3 commercial catalyst., (© 2018 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Society for Applied Microbiology.)

Loomstate-, scoured- and bleached cotton fabrics were first activated by treatment with ethanolamine and; thus obtained three fabrics were submitted independently to in-situ formation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using different concentrations of silver nitrate (AgNO3) in absence of other external precursor. The magnitude of AgNPs on the fabric increases by increasing AgNO 3 concentrations during synthesis of AgNPs loaded fabrics irrespective of the fabric used. Loomstate- and scoured cotton fabrics with the highest amount of AgNPs exhibit spherical shape with less aggregates; opposite to their bleached mate where AgNPs are irregularly shaped with bigger size due to aggregation. The formation of AgNPs is confirmed through monitoring UV-vis absorption peak. Results signify also the formation of high density coating of silver on the surface of cotton fabric. Fabrics loaded with AgNPs exhibit superior antibacterial activity. Treatment with distilled water of AgNPs loaded scoured cotton fabric filtered by centrifugation verify the very slow launching of AgNPs indicating excellent durability; a point which advocates the use of such fabrics in infection prevention applications. Indeed, the basic and practice entailed in current studies can be nominated strongly for cleaner bactericidal finishing of cotton., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The acidophilic, Fe(III)-reducing heterotrophic bacteria Acidocella aromatica PFBC T and Acidiphilium cryptum SJH were utilized to produce palladium (Pd) bionanoparticles via a simple 1-step microbiological reaction. Monosaccharide (or intracellular NADH)-dependent reactions lead to visualization of intra/extra-cellular enzymatic Pd(0) nucleation. Formic acid-dependent reactions proceeded via the first slow Pd(0) nucleation phase and the following autocatalytic Pd(II) reduction phase regardless of the presence or viability of the cells. However, use of active cells (with full enzymatic and membrane protein activities) at low formic acid concentration (5 mM) was critical to allow sufficient time for Pd(II) biosorption and the following enzymatic Pd(0) nucleation, which consequently enabled production of fine, dense and well-dispersed Pd(0) bionanoparticles. Differences of the resultant Pd(0) nanoparticles in size, density and localization between the two bacteria under each condition tested suggested different activity and location of enzymes and membrane "Pd(II) trafficking" proteins responsible for Pd(0) nucleation. Despite the inhibitory effect of leaching lixiviant and dissolved metal ions, Pd(0) bionanoparticles were effectively formed by active Ac. aromatica cells from both acidic synthetic Pd(II) solutions and from the actual spent catalyst leachates at equivalent 18-19 nm median size with comparable catalytic activity.

Emergence of multiple drug resistant strains of pathogenic bacteria calls for new initiatives to combat infectious diseases. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), because of their non-toxic nature and size/shape dependent optical properties, offer interesting possibility. Here we report the antibacterial efficacy of AuNPs of different size and shape (AuNS10, AuNS100 and AuNR10; the number indicating the diameter in nm; S stands for sphere and R for rod) against the classical (O395) and El Tor (N16961) biotypes of Vibrio cholerae, the etiological agent responsible for cholera. Growth kinetics was monitored by measuring optical density at different time intervals and fitted by non-linear regression of modified Buchanan model. Sigmoidal growth curve for VcO395 indicated the existence of single phenotype population and was affected by AuNR10 only, implying the importance of morphology of AuNP. Growth of VcN16961 was affected by all three AuNPs indicating the vulnerability of El Tor biotype. Interestingly, VcN16961 exhibited the occurrence of two phenotypic subpopulations - one with shorter (vulnerable Type 1) and the other with extended (tolerant Type 2) lag phase. Various assays were conducted to probe the impact of AuNPs on bacterial cells. Apart from AuNR10, antimicrobial efficacy of AuNS10 was better compared to AuNS100.

Actinomycetes-mediated biogenic synthesis of metal nanoparticles and their antimicrobial activities are well documented. Actinomycetes facilitate both intracellular and extracellular metal nanoparticles synthesis and are efficient candidates for the production of polydispersed, stable and ultra-small size metal nanoparticles. Secondary metabolites and new chemical entities derived from Actinomycetes have not been extensively studied for the synthesis of metal/metal oxide nanoparticles. The present review focuses on biogenic synthesis of metal nanoparticles from Actinomycetes and the scope for exploring Actinomycetes-derived compounds (enzymes, organics acids and bioactive compounds) as metal and metal oxide reducing agents for the synthesis of desired nanoparticles. This review also focuses on challenges faced in the applications of nanoparticles and the methods to synthesize biogenic metal nanoparticles with desired physiochemical properties such as ultra-small size, large surface to mass ratio, high reactivity etc. Methods to evade their toxicity and unique interactions with biological systems to improve their chance as an alternative therapeutic agent in medical and pharmaceutical industry are also discussed., (© 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.)

Amyloids are highly ordered, hierarchal protein nanoassemblies. Functional amyloids in bacterial biofilms, such as Escherichia coli curli fibers, are formed by the polymerization of monomeric proteins secreted into the extracellular space. Curli is synthesized by living cells, is primarily composed of the major curlin subunit CsgA, and forms biological nanofibers with high aspect ratios. Here, we explore the application of curli fibers for nanotechnology by engineering curli to mediate tunable biological interfaces with inorganic materials and to controllably form gold nanoparticles and gold nanowires. Specifically, we used cell-synthesized curli fibers as templates for nucleating and growing gold nanoparticles and showed that nanoparticle size could be modulated as a function of curli fiber gold-binding affinity. Furthermore, we demonstrated that gold nanoparticles can be preseeded onto curli fibers and followed by gold enhancement to form nanowires. Using these two approaches, we created artificial cellular systems that integrate inorganic-organic materials to achieve tunable electrical conductivity. We envision that cell-synthesized amyloid nanofibers will be useful for interfacing abiotic and biotic systems to create living functional materials..

A suspension of non-magnetic entities in a ferrofluid is referred to as an inverse ferrofluid. Current research to trap non-magnetic entities in an inverse ferrofluid focuses on using large permanent magnets to generate high magnetic field gradients, which seriously limits Lab-on-a-Chip applications. On the other hand, in this work, trapping of non-magnetic entities, e.g., bacteria in a uniform external magnetic field was studied with a novel chip design. An inverse ferrofluid flows in a channel and a non-magnetic island is placed in the middle of this channel. The magnetic field was distorted by this island due to the magnetic susceptibility difference between this island and the surrounding ferrofluid, resulting in magnetic forces applied on the non-magnetic entities. Both the ferromagnetic particles and the non-magnetic entities, e.g., bacteria were attracted towards the island, and subsequently accumulate in different regions. The alignment of the ferrimagnetic particles and optical transparency of the ferrofluid was greatly enhanced by the bacteria at low applied magnetic fields. This work is applicable to lab-on-a-chip based detection and trapping of non-magnetic entities bacteria and cells.

The effectiveness of nanoparticle-based functional devices depends strongly on the surface morphology and area of the support. An emerging powerful approach of increasing the available surface area without decreasing strength or increasing bulk is to attach arrays of suitable nanotubes on the surface, and to attach the necessary nanoparticles to them. Earlier publications by this team have shown that carpet-like arrays of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can be successfully grown on a variety of larger carbon substrates such as graphite, foams and fabric, which offer hierarchical multiscale supporting architecture suitable for the attachment of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). A limiting factor of pure CNT arrays in fluid-based applications is their hydrophobicity, which can reduce the percolation of an aqueous medium through individual nanotubes. Previous studies have demonstrated that the treatment of CNT carpets with dry (oxygen) plasma can induce reversible wettability, and treatment with wet (sol-gel) coating can impart permanent wettability. In this paper, we report the influence of such treatments on the attachment of AgNPs, and their effectiveness in water disinfection treatments. Both types of hydrophilic surface treatment show an increase in silver loading on the CNT carpets. Oxygen-plasma treated surfaces (O-CNT) show fine and densely packed AgNPs, whereas silica-coated nanotubes (silica-CNT) show uneven clusters of AgNPs. However, O-CNT surfaces lose their hydrophilicity during AgNP deposition, whereas silica-CNT surfaces remain hydrophilic. This difference significantly impacts the antibacterial effectiveness of these materials, as tested in simulated water containing Gram negative Escherichia coli (E. coli, JM109). AgNPs on silica-coated CNT substrates showed significantly higher reduction rates of E. coli compared to AgNPs on plasma-treated CNT substrates, despite the finer and better dispersed AgNP distribution in the latter. These results provide important insights into different aspects of surface modification approaches that can control the wettability of CNT carpets, and their applicability in water treatment applications.

Background: Despite improvement in operative techniques and antibiotic therapy, septic complications still occur in open fractures. We developed silver ion containing ceramic nano powder for implant coating to provide not only biocompatibility but also antibacterial activity to the orthopaedic implants., Questions/purposes: We hypothesised silver ion doped calcium phosphate based ceramic nano-powder coated titanium nails may prevents bacterial colonisation and infection in open fractures as compared with uncoated nails., Methods: 33 rabbits divided into three groups. In the first group uncoated, in the second group hydroxyapatite coated, and in the third group silver doped hydroxyapatite coated titanium nails were inserted left femurs of animals from knee regions with retrograde fashion. Before implantation of nails 50 μl solution containing 10(6)CFU/ml methicillin resistance Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) injected intramedullary canal. Rabbits were monitored for 10 weeks. Blood was taken from rabbits before surgery and on 2nd, 6th and 10th weeks. Blood was analysed for biochemical parameters, blood count, C-reactive protein and silver levels. At the end of the 10 weeks animals were sacrificed and rods were extracted in a sterile fashion. Swab cultures were taken from intramedullary canal. Bacteria on titanium rods were counted. Liver, heart, spleen, kidney and central nervous tissues samples were taken for determining silver levels. Histopathological evaluation of bone surrounding implants was also performed., Results: No significant difference was detected between the groups from hematologic, biochemical, and toxicological aspect. Microbiological results showed that less bacterial growth was detected with the use of silver doped ceramic coated implants compared to the other two groups (p=0.003). Accumulation of silver was not detected. No cellular inflammation was observed around the silver coated prostheses. No toxic effect of silver on bone cells was seen., Conclusion: Silver ion doped calcium phosphate based ceramic nano powder coating to orthopaedic implants may prevents bacterial colonisation and infection in open fractures compared with those for implants without any coating., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Desulfovibrio alaskensis G20 is an anaerobic sulfate reducing bacteria. While Desulfovibrio species have previously been shown to reduce palladium and platinum to the zero-state, forming nanoparticles in the process; there have been no reports that D. alaskensis is able to form these nanoparticles. Metal nanoparticles have properties that make them ideal for use in many industrial and medical applications, such as their size and shape giving them higher catalytic activity than the bulk form of the same metal. Nanoparticles of the platinum group metals in particular are highly sought after for their catalytic ability and herein we report the formation of both palladium and platinum nanoparticles by D. alaskensis and the biotransformation of solvated nickel ions to nanoparticle form., (Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Metal monochalcogenide quantum dot nanocrystals of ZnS, CdS and SnS were prepared by anaerobic, metal-reducing bacteria using in situ capping by oleic acid or oleylamine. The capping agent preferentially adsorbs on the surface of the nanocrystal, suppressing the growth process in the early stages, thus leading to production of nanocrystals with a diameter of less than 5 nm.

Aim: To improve the antibacterial and mammalian cell compatibility properties of titania nanotubes (TNTs) anodized into titanium (Ti)., Materials & Methods: 3-8-nm TiO2 nanoparticles were decorated on the surface and inside TNT (TNT-TiO2) through a hydrothermal method. After UV light treatment, two types of oral bacteria and stem cells were cultured on the samples to determine antibacterial and compatibility properties., Results: TiO2 nanoparticles increased the surface area and photocatalysis of TNTs. Based on the photocatalysis effect and prolonged photo-induced wettability, the numbers of Streptococcus mutans and Porphyromonas gingivalis were lower on the surface of TNT-TiO2 than pure Ti and TNTs after the first 7 days. Specifically, for S. mutans, the glycosytransferase (gtf) genes were downregulated 0.1-0.2-fold on TNT-TiO2. Due to the different topography and high surface energy of TNT-TiO2, stem cells also showed improved osteogenic functions on TNT-TiO2., Conclusion: In this study, we demonstrated for the first time improved antibacterial properties and, at the same time, greater stem cell osteogenic capacity when decorating TNTs with nanosized TiO2 particles, which may significantly improve orthopedic and dental implant efficacy.

We report the extracellular biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using a fungus Fusarium acuminatum. Mycosynthesis of Au-NPs was carried out by challenging the fungal cells filtrate with HAuCl 4 solution (1 mM), as nanoparticles synthesizing enzyme secrete extracellularly by the fungi. The AuNPs were characterized with the help of UV-Visible spectrophotometer, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, Zeta Potential, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). We observed absorbance peak in between 520 nm-550 nm corresponding to the surface plasmon absorbance of the gold nanoparticles. The nanoparticles synthesized in the present investigation were found to be capped by proteins. XRD results showed that the distinctive formation of crystalline gold nanoparticles in the solution. The spherical and polydispersed AuNPs in the range 8 to 28 nm with average size of 17 nm were observed by TEM analysis. We also standardized the parameters like the effect of pH, temperature and salt concentration on the biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles. It was found that acidic pH, 1 mM salt concentration and 37 (°)C temperature were found to be optimum for the synthesis of Au-NPs. Therefore, the present study introduces the easy, better and cheaper method for biosynthesis of AuNPs.

This is the first study describing the rapid extracellular production of copper nanoparticles by dead biomass of Trichoderma koningiopsis. The production and uptake of copper nanoparticles by dead biomass of Trichoderma koningiopsis were characterized by investigating physicochemical factors, equilibrium concentrations and biosorption kinetics, combined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). A successful route for the metallic copper nanoparticles synthesis was achieved, and followed a Langmuir isotherm where a high biosorption capacity was observed, 21.1 mg g(-1). The kinetic analysis showed that copper biosorption followed a pseudo-second-order model. The nanoparticles mainly exhibited a spherical shape, with an average size of 87.5 nm, and were synthesized extracellularly. The presence of proteins as stabilizing agents of the nanoparticles was demonstrated. The extracellular biosynthesis and uptake of copper nanoparticles using dead fungal biomass is a low-cost green processes, and bioremediation of impacted local.

Infection of titanium (Ti)-based orthopedic implants is a growing problem due to the ability of bacteria to develop a resistance to today's antibiotics. As an attempt to develop a new strategy to combat bacteria functions, Ti was anodized in the present study to possess different diameters of nanotubes. It is reported here for the first time that Ti anodized to possess 20 nm tubes then followed by heat treatment to remove fluorine deposited from the HF anodization electrolyte solution significantly reduced both S. aureus and S. epidermidis growth compared to unanodized Ti controls. It was further found that the sterilization method used for both anodized nanotubular Ti and conventional Ti played an important role in the degree of bacteria growth on these substrates. Overall, UV light and ethanol sterilized samples decreased bacteria growth, while autoclaving resulted in the highest amount of bacteria growth. In summary, this study indicated that through a simple and inexpensive process, Ti can be anodized to possess 20 nm tubes that no matter how sterilized (UV light, ethanol soaking, or autoclaving) reduces bacteria growth and, thus, shows great promise as an antibacterial implant material., (Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Cellulose fibers deposited with metallic nanoparticles as one kind of renewable, biocompatible and antimicrobial nanomaterials evoke much interest because of their versatility in various applications. Herein, for the first time, a facile, simple and rapid method was developed to fabricate TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl radical) selectively oxidized jute fibers in situ deposited with silver nanoparticles in the absence of reducing reagents. The average size of silver nanoparticles deposited on the fibers is 50.0 ± 2.0 nm by microwave heating for 5 min and 90.0 ± 4.7 nm for 10 min heating sample, respectively. The versatile jute-silver nanoparticles nanocomposites with superior thermal stability and high crystallinity would be particularly useful for applications in the public health care and biomedical fields., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A promising avenue of research in materials science is to follow the strategies used by Mother Nature to fabricate ornate hierarchical structures as exemplified by organisms such as diatoms, sponges and magnetotactic bacteria. Some of the strategies used in the biological world to create functional inorganic materials may well have practical implications in the world of nanomaterials. Therefore, the strive towards exploring nature's ingenious work for designing strategies to create inorganic nanomaterials in our laboratories has led to development of biological and biomimetic synthesis routes over the past decade or so. A large proportion of these relentless efforts have explored the use of those microorganisms, which are typically not known to encounter these inorganic materials in their natural environment. Therefore, one can consider these microorganisms as 'unusual' for the purpose for which they have been utilized - it is in this context that this review has been penned down. In this extensive review, we discuss the use of these 'unusual' microorganisms for deliberate biosynthesis of various nanomaterials including biominerals, metals, sulfides and oxides nanoparticles. In addition to biosynthesis approach, we have also discussed a bioleaching approach, which can provide a noble platform for room-temperature synthesis of inorganic nanomaterials using naturally available raw materials. Moreover, the unique properties and functionalities displayed by these biogenic inorganic materials have been discussed, wherever such properties have been investigated previously. Finally, towards the end of this review, we have made efforts to summarize the common outcomes of the biosynthesis process and draw conclusions, which provide a perspective on the current status of the biosynthesis research field and highlights areas where future research in this field should be directed to realize the full potential of biological routes towards nanomaterials synthesis. Furthermore, the review clearly demonstrates that the biological route to inorganic materials synthesis is not merely an addition to the existing list of synthesis routes; biological routes using 'unusual' microorganisms might in fact provide an edge over other nanomaterials synthesis routes in terms of their eco-friendliness, low energy intensiveness, and economically-viable synthesis. This review has significant importance for colloids and interface science since it underpins the synthesis of colloidal materials using 'unusual' microorganism, wherein the role of biological interfaces for controlled synthesis of technologically important nanomaterials is clearly evident., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have found wide range of applications in electronics, biomedical engineering, and chemistry owing to their exceptional opto-electrical properties. Biological synthesis of gold nanoparticles by using plant extracts and microbes have received profound interest in recent times owing to their potential to produce nanoparticles with varied shape, size and morphology. Marine microorganisms are unique to tolerate high salt concentration and can evade toxicity of different metal ions. However, these marine microbes are not sufficiently explored for their capability of metal nanoparticle synthesis. Although, marine water is one of the richest sources of gold in the nature, however, there is no significant publication regarding utilization of marine micro-organisms to produce gold nanoparticles. Therefore, there might be a possibility of exploring marine bacteria as nanofactories for AuNP biosynthesis., Results: In the present study, marine bacteria are exploited towards their capability of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) production. Stable, monodisperse AuNP formation with around 10 nm dimension occur upon exposure of HAuCl(4) solution to whole cells of a novel strain of Marinobacter pelagius, as characterized by polyphasic taxonomy. Nanoparticles synthesized are characterized by Transmission electron microscopy, Dynamic light scattering and UV-visible spectroscopy., Conclusion: The potential of marine organisms in biosynthesis of AuNPs are still relatively unexplored. Although, there are few reports of gold nanoparticles production using marine sponges and sea weeds however, there is no report on the production of gold nanoparticles using marine bacteria. The present work highlighted the possibility of using the marine bacterial strain of Marinobacter pelagius to achieve a fast rate of nanoparticles synthesis which may be of high interest for future process development of AuNPs. This is the first report of AuNP synthesis by marine bacteria.

Silver nanoparticles (SNPs) are being increasingly used in many consumer products like textile fabrics, cosmetics, washing machines, food and drug products owing to its excellent antimicrobial properties. Here we have studied the adsorption and toxicity of SNPs on bacterial species such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Micrococcus luteus, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus barbaricus and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The influence of zeta potential on the adsorption of SNPs on bacterial cell surface was investigated at acidic, neutral and alkaline pH and with varying salt (NaCl) concentrations (0.05, 0.1, 0.5, 1 and 1.5 M). The survival rate of bacterial species decreased with increase in adsorption of SNPs. Maximum adsorption and toxicity was observed at pH 5, and NaCl concentration of <0.5 M. A very less adsorption was observed at pH 9 and NaCl concentration >0.5 M, there by resulting in less toxicity. The zeta potential study suggests that, the adsorption of SNPs on the cell surface was related to electrostatic force of attraction. The equilibrium and kinetics of the adsorption process were also studied. The adsorption equilibrium isotherms fitted well to the Langmuir model. The kinetics of adsorption fitted best to pseudo-first-order. These findings form a basis for interpreting the interaction of nanoparticles with environmental bacterial species., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A new biological inspired method to produce nanopalladium is the precipitation of Pd on a bacterium, i.e., bio-Pd. This bio-Pd can be applied as catalyst in dehalogenation reactions. However, large amounts of hydrogen are required as electron donor in these reactions resulting in considerable costs. This study demonstrates how bacteria, cultivated under fermentative conditions, can be used to reductively precipitate bio-Pd catalysts and generate the electron donor hydrogen. In this way, one could avoid the costs coupled to hydrogen supply. The catalytic activities of Pd(0) nanoparticles produced by different strains of bacteria (bio-Pd) cultivated under fermentative conditions were compared in terms of their ability to dehalogenate the recalcitrant aqueous pollutants diatrizoate and trichloroethylene. While all of the fermentative bio-Pd preparations followed first order kinetics in the dehalogenation of diatrizoate, the catalytic activity differed systematically according to hydrogen production and starting Pd(II) concentration in solution. Batch reactors with nanoparticles formed by Citrobacter braakii showed the highest diatrizoate dehalogenation activity with first order constants of 0.45 ± 0.02 h⁻¹ and 5.58 ± 0.6 h⁻¹ in batches with initial concentrations of 10 and 50 mg L⁻¹ Pd, respectively. Nanoparticles on C. braakii, used in a membrane bioreactor treating influent containing 20 mg L⁻¹ diatrizoate, were capable of dehalogenating 22 mg diatrizoate mg⁻¹ Pd over a period of 19 days before bio-Pd catalytic activity was exhausted. This study demonstrates the possibility to use the combination of Pd(II), a carbon source and bacteria under fermentative conditions for the abatement of environmental halogenated contaminants.

Technological advances allowing routine nanoparticle (NP) manufacture have enabled their use in electronic equipment, foods, clothing and medical devices. Although some NPs have antibacterial activity, little is known about their environmental impact and there is no information on the influence of NPs on soil in the possibly vulnerable ecosystems of polar regions. The potential toxicity of 0.066% silver, copper or silica NPs on a high latitude (>78°N) soil was determined using community level physiological profiles (CLPP), fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) assays and DNA analysis, including sequencing and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). The results of these different investigations were amalgamated in order to develop a community toxicity indicator, which revealed that of the three NPs examined, silver NPs could be classified as highly toxic to these arctic consortia. Subsequent culture-based studies confirmed that one of the community-identified plant-associating bacteria, Bradyrhizobium canariense, appeared to have a marked sensitivity to silver NPs. Thus, NP contamination of arctic soils particularly by silver NPs is a concern and procedures for mitigation and remediation of such pollution should be a priority for investigation., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Metal nanoparticles have been studied and applied in many areas including the biomedical, agricultural, electronic fields, etc. Several products of colloidal silver are already on the market. Research on new, eco-friendly and cheaper methods has been initiated. Biological production of metal nanoparticles has been studied by many researchers due to the convenience of the method that produces small particles stabilized by protein. However, the mechanism involved in this production has not yet been elucidated although hypothetical mechanisms have been proposed in the literature. Thus, this review discusses the various mechanisms provided for the biological synthesis of metal nanoparticles by peptides, bacteria, fungi, and plants. One thing that is clear is that the mechanistic aspects in some of the biological systems need more detailed studies.

This study explores the potential antimicrobial mechanisms of commercial silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) in the environmental bacterium, Pseudomonas chlororaphis O6. The 10nm size NPs aggregated in water, as demonstrated by atomic force microscopy. Solubility of the NPs at 10mg/L was 0.28 mg/L (pH 6) and 2.3mg/L (pH 7); release from 10mg/L bulk Ag was below detection. The NPs eliminated cell culturability at 3mg/L, whereas no effect was observed at 10mg/L bulk Ag. Zeta potential measurements revealed that the NPs were negatively charged; unlike Ag ions, their addition to the negatively charged cells did not change cell charge at pH 6, but showed a trend to reduce cell charge at pH 7. Isolated extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) from PcO6 was polydisperse, with negative charge that was neutralized by Ag ions, but not by the NPs. Addition of EPS eliminated Ag NP's toxicity in cells lacking EPS. Intracellular accumulation of OH was not detected in NP-treated cells; however, the use of scavengers suggested the NPs caused extracellular H(2)O(2) production. No evidence was found for loss of membrane integrity upon treatment with the NPs. Our findings indicate that growth of environmental bacteria could be impaired by Ag NPs, depending on the extent of EPS production., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: In recent years nano-metaloxides which easily penetrate into the cells with special interest due to their higher chemical reactivity as compared to that of similar materials in the bulk form. Of particular interest are nano-TiO(2) and ZnO, which have been widely used for their bactericidal and anticancerous properties., Purpose: The aim of the present study was to examine the bactericidal properties of nano-TiO(2) and ZnO combined with visible light on S. aureus and S. epidermitis, known for their high prevalence in infected wounds., Study: Using the technique of electron-spin resonance (ESR) coupled with spin trapping, we examined the ability of TiO(2) and ZnO nanoparticle suspensions in water to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) with and without visible light irradiation. The possibility of exciting these nanoparticles with visible light in order to enhance their antimicrobial activity was also tested., Results: Electron-spin resonance measurements revealed that ZnO and TiO(2) nanoparticles are able to produce ROS in water suspension. A remarkable enhancement of ROS production was found following illumination with blue light. In addition, illumination significantly enhanced the antibacterial activity of the nanoparticles., Conclusion: The results suggest that nanoparticles combined with visible light can be used for sterilization purposes and may be effective for treating infected wounds., (Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

The formation of bacterial biofilm on the surface of implanted metal objects is a major clinical problem. The antibacterial and antifungal effect of silver ions has been long known, and seems to give silver the capability to inhibit biofilm formation. To test the effect of silver ions, 20 New Zealand rabbits had bacteria applied to a screw insertion site at the iliac crest, and were then randomly divided into two groups: Group I, which had silver-coated screws applied, and Group II, which had uncoated titanium screws. After the rabbits were sacrificed on day 28, we examined the screws, the bone adjacent to the screws, and the liver, kidneys, brain and corneas of both groups under transmission (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). We also analysed microbiological samples from the screw holes. All silver-coated screws, but only 10% of uncoated titanium screws, were sterile. All tissue samples appeared ultrastructurally normal in both groups. Biofilm formation was inhibited on all silver-coated screws, but all uncoated screws developed a biofilm on their surfaces. Our findings suggest that nanoparticle silver ion-coated implants are as safe as uncoated titanium screws and that they can help prevent both biofilm formation and infection., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Engineered nanoparticles are increasingly incorporated into consumer products and are emerging as potential environmental contaminants. Upon environmental release, nanoparticles could inhibit bacterial processes, as evidenced by laboratory studies. Less is known regarding bacterial alteration of nanoparticles, including whether bacteria affect physical agglomeration states controlling nanoparticle settling and bioavailability. Here, the effects of an environmental strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa on TiO₂ nanoparticle agglomerates formed in aqueous media are described. Environmental scanning electron microscopy and cryogenic scanning electron microscopy visually demonstrated bacterial dispersion of large agglomerates formed in cell culture medium and in marsh water. For experiments in cell culture medium, quantitative image analysis verified that the degrees of conversion of large agglomerates into small nanoparticle-cell combinations were similar for 12-h-growth and short-term cell contact experiments. Dispersion in cell growth medium was further characterized by size fractionation: for agglomerated TiO₂ suspensions in the absence of cells, 81% by mass was retained on a 5-μm-pore-size filter, compared to only 24% retained for biotic treatments. Filtrate cell and agglomerate sizes were characterized by dynamic light scattering, revealing that the average bacterial cell size increased from 1.4 μm to 1.9 μm because of nano-TiO₂ biosorption. High-magnification scanning electron micrographs showed that P. aeruginosa dispersed TiO₂ agglomerates by preferential biosorption of nanoparticles onto cell surfaces. These results suggest a novel role for bacteria in the environmental transport of engineered nanoparticles, i.e., growth-independent, bacterially mediated size and mass alterations of TiO₂ nanoparticle agglomerates.

Purpose: Rapid development of nanotechnology has recently brought significant attention to the extraordinary biological features of nanomaterials. The objective of the present investigation was to evaluate morphological characteristics of the assembles of gold and platinum nanoparticles (nano-Au and nano-Pt respectively), with Salmonella Enteritidis (Gram-negative) and Listeria monocytogenes (Gram-positive), to reveal possibilities of constructing bacteria-nanoparticle vehicles., Methods: Hydrocolloids of nano-Au or nano-Pt were added to two bacteria suspensions in the following order: nano-Au + Salmonella Enteritidis; nano-Au + Listeria monocytogenes; nano-Pt + Salmonella Enteritidis; nano-Pt + Listeria monocytogenes. Samples were inspected by transmission electron microscope., Results: Visualization of morphological interaction between nano-Au and Salmonella Enteritidis and Listeria monocytogenes, showed that nano-Au were aggregated within flagella or biofilm network and did not penetrate the bacterial cell. The analysis of morphological effects of interaction of nano-Pt with bacteria revealed that nano-Pt entered cells of Listeria monocytogenes and were removed from the cells. In the case of Salmonella Enteritidis, nano-Pt were seen inside bacteria cells, probably bound to DNA and partly left bacterial cells. After washing and centrifugation, some of the nano-Pt-DNA complexes were observed within Salmonella Enteritidis., Conclusion: The results indicate that the bacteria could be used as a vehicle to deliver nano-Pt to specific points in the body.

The present work reports the integration of polymer matrix-supported nanomaterial and enzyme biotechnology for development of industrially feasible biocatalysts. Aqueous leaf extract of Mesua ferrea L. was used to prepare silver nanoparticles distributed within a narrow size range (1-12 nm). In situ oxidative technique was used to obtain poly(ethylene glycol)-supported iron oxide nanoparticles (3-5 nm). Sonication-mediated mixing of above nanoparticles generated the immobilization system comprising of polymer-supported silver-iron oxide nanoparticles (20-30 nm). A commercially important enzyme, Aspergillus niger amyloglucosidase was coupled onto the immobilization system through sonication. The immobilization enzyme registered a multi-fold increment in the specific activity (807 U/mg) over the free counterpart (69 U/mg). Considerable initial activity of the immobilized enzyme was retained even after storing the system at room temperature as well as post-repeated magnetic recycling. Evaluation of the commendable starch saccharification rate, washing performance synergy with a panel of commercial detergents, and antibacterial potency strongly forwards the immobilized enzyme as a multi-functional industrially feasible system.

Green, low-cost, and reproducible Lactobacillus-mediated biosynthesis of metal and oxide nanoparticles are reported. Silver and titanium dioxide nanoparticles are synthesized using Lactobacillus sp. procured from yoghurt and probiotic tablets. The synthesis is performed akin to room temperature in the laboratory ambience. X-ray and transmission electron microscopy analyses are performed to ascertain the formation of metallic and oxide nanoparticles. Individual nanoparticles having the dimensions of 10-25 nm (n-Ag) and 10-70 nm (n-TiO(2)) are found. The mechanism involved for the synthesis of metallic and oxide nanoparticles has also been discussed.

Silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) are known to have inhibitory and bactericidal effects. Resistance of fungal infections has emerged in recent years and is a major health problem. Here, we report the extracellular biosynthesis of Ag-NPs using a common fungus, Alternaria alternata. Also in this study, these nanoparticles were evaluated for their part in increasing the antifungal activity of fluconazole against Phoma glomerata, Phoma herbarum, Fusarium semitectum, Trichoderma sp., and Candida albicans. The antifungal activity of fluconazole was enhanced against the test fungi in the presence of Ag-NPs. Fluconazole in combination with Ag-NPs showed the maximum inhibition against C. albicans, which was confirmed from the increase in fold area of inhibition, followed by P. glomerata and Trichoderma sp., which showed less increase in the fold area, whereas no significant enhancement of activity was found against P. herbarum and F. semitectum., From the Clinical Editor: The antifungal activity of fluconazole was enhanced in presence of silver nanoparticles against the test fungi. Fluconazole in combination with Ag-NPs showed the maximum inhibition against C. albicans, followed by P. glomerata and Trichoderma sp. No significant enhancement of activity was found against P. herbarum and F. semitectum.

Nanoscale zero-valent iron (NZVI) particles were investigated in inactivating gram-positive Bacillus subtilis var. niger and gram-negative Pseudomonas fluorescens bacteria, and the fungus Aspergillus versicolor. NZVI particles were synthesized using NaBH(4) and Fe(NO(3))(3).9H(2)O, and the microbial suspensions were subjected to the treatments of NZVI particle suspensions with concentrations of 0.1, 1 and 10mg/ml for 5min. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) was used to characterize the synthesized NZVI particles, suspensions and the surface morphologies of the treated agents. FE-SEM images showed that the NZVI particles were spherical with a fairly uniform size of about 20-30nm, and the iron precipitates FeO(OH) appeared in needle-shape aggregates. When treated directly with NZVI particles under aerobic condition, the surfaces of microbes were quickly coated with needle-shape yellow-brown iron oxides. In this study, complete inactivation was achieved both for B. subtilis var. niger and P. fluorescens when treated with 10mg/ml NZVI particles with vigorous shaking under aerobic condition. When NZVI particle concentration decreased to 1, 0.1mg/ml, there was still a complete inactivation for P. fluorescens, while for B. subtilis var. niger the inactivation decreased to 95%, 80%, respectively. However, no inactivation was observed for the fungus A. versicolor when treated the same manner. Physical coating, disruption of membrane and generation of reactive oxygen species have played major roles in the inactivation observed.

By comparing the photocatalytic bactericidal effect on different crystal faces of bulk ZnO crystal, we found that an electron degradation mechanism dominates the photocatalytic processes of ZnO material.

Ecotoxicological effects of nanoparticles (NP) are still poorly documented while their commercialization for industrial and household applications increases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of physicochemical characteristics on metal oxide NP and carbon nanotubes toxicological effects toward bacteria. Two strains of bacteria, Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34 and Escherichia coli MG1655 were exposed to TiO(2) or Al(2)O(3) NP or to multiwalled-carbon nanotubes (MWCNT). Particular attention was paid on optimizing NP dispersion to obtain nonagglomerated suspensions. Our results show that NP toxicity depends on their chemical composition, size, surface charge, and shape but not on their crystalline phase. MWCNT toxicity does not depend on their purity. Toxicity also depends on the bacterial strain: E. coli MG1655 is sensitive to NP, whereas C. metallidurans CH34 is not. Interestingly, NP are accumulated in both bacterial strains, and association between NP and bacteria is necessary for bacterial death to occur. NP may then represent a danger for the environment, causing the disappearance of some sensitive bacterial strains such as E. coli MG1655, but also being mobilized by nonsensitive strains such as C. metallidurans CH34 and transported through the whole ecosystem.

The application of nanoscale materials and structures, usually ranging from 1 to 100 nanometers (nm), is an emerging area of nanoscience and nanotechnology. Nanomaterials may provide solutions to technological and environmental challenges in the areas of solar energy conversion, catalysis, medicine, and water-treatment. The development of techniques for the controlled synthesis of nanoparticles of well-defined size, shape and composition, to be used in the biomedical field and areas such as optics and electronics, has become a big challenge. Development of reliable and eco-friendly processes for synthesis of metallic nanoparticles is an important step in the field of application of nanotechnology. One of the options to achieve this objective is to use 'natural factories' such as biological systems. This study reports the optimal conditions for maximum synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) through reduction of Ag(+) ions by the culture supernatant of Escherichia coli. The synthesized silver nanoparticles were purified by using sucrose density gradient centrifugation. The purified sample was further characterized by UV-vis spectra, fluorescence spectroscopy and TEM. The purified solution yielded the maximum absorbance peak at 420 nm and the TEM characterization showed a uniform distribution of nanoparticles, with an average size of 50 nm. X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectrum of the silver nanoparticles exhibited 2theta values corresponding to the silver nanocrystal. The size-distribution of nanoparticles was determined using a particle-size analyzer and the average particle size was found to be 50 nm. This study also demonstrates that particle size could be controlled by varying the parameters such as temperature, pH and concentration of AgNO(3).