The interplay between size and valence state on the antibacterial activity of sub-10 nm silver nanoparticles

• DOI: 10.1039/c9na00017h
• Publication Date: 2019-04-29T23:55:37Z
• Authors: Hanif Haidari; Nirmal Goswami; Richard Bright; Zlatko Kopecki; Allison J. Cowin; Sanjay Garg; Krasimir Vasilev
• Keywords: Silver nanoparticle

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have attracted enormous interest because of their excellent antibacterial properties, low cytotoxicity and limited evidence for resistance. As a general trend, smaller are considered to stronger activity. In this work we investigate whether trend is valid the sub-10 nm region by designing synthesising three types AgNPs (∼1.87, ∼2.93 ∼6.53 nm) reveal influence size, valence state structure on potency AgNPs. We found that NPs with size having high concentration silver in first presented highest bacterial killing as well mammalian cells. The new insights study open future avenues engineering highly potent nanoantibiotics can be incorporated into advanced medical devices therapies capable protecting patients from infections.