Scientific Reports (Jan 2024)

Characterization, antibacterial, and cytotoxic activities of silver nanoparticles using the whole biofilm layer as a macromolecule in biosynthesis

  • Aghapy Yermans Yakoup,
  • Azza G. Kamel,
  • Yasmin Elbermawy,
  • Abdallah S. Abdelsattar,
  • Ayman El-Shibiny

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-50548-9
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14, no. 1
pp. 1 – 17

Abstract

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Abstract Recently, multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria are responsible for a large number of infectious diseases that can be life-threatening. Globally, new approaches are targeted to solve this essential issue. This study aims to discover novel antibiotic alternatives by using the whole components of the biofilm layer as a macromolecule to synthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) as a promising agent against MDR. In particular, the biosynthesized biofilm-AgNPs were characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy, electron microscopes, Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX), zeta sizer and potential while their effect on bacterial strains and normal cell lines was identified. Accordingly, biofilm-AgNPs have a lavender-colored solution, spherical shape, with a size range of 20–60 nm. Notably, they have inhibitory effects when used on various bacterial strains with concentrations ranging between 12.5 and 25 µg/mL. In addition, they have an effective synergistic effect when combined with phage ZCSE9 to inhibit and kill Salmonella enterica with a concentration of 3.1 µg/mL. In conclusion, this work presents a novel biosynthesis preparation of AgNPs using biofilm for antibacterial purposes to reduce the possible toxicity by reducing the MICs using phage ZCSE9.