Perspectives on antibacterial performance of silver nanoparticle-loaded three-dimensional polymeric constructs.

Silver nanoparticle (AgNP)-loaded polymeric constructs are widely investigated for potential applications as drug delivery systems, wound dressings, and antibiofouling biomaterials. Herein, the authors present several methods for fabricating such materials and evaluate their efficacy against Escherichia coli. H2O(v) plasma surface modification is employed to enhance material surface wettability (explored by water contact angle goniometry) and nanoparticle incorporation. Compositional analyses reveal that incorporation of AgNPs on the surface and bulk of the materials strongly depends on the fabrication methodology. More importantly, the nature of AgNP incorporation into the polymer has direct implications on the biocidal performance resulting from the release of Ag+. The materials fabricated herein fell significantly short of healthcare standards with respect to antimicrobial behavior, and, in comparing their results to numerous literature studies, the authors identified a glaring disparity in the way such results are often described. Thus, this work also contains a critical evaluation of the literature, highlighting select poor-performing materials to demonstrate several shortcomings in the quantitative analysis and reporting of the antibacterial efficacy of AgNP-loaded materials. Ultimately, recommendations for best practices for better evaluation of these constructs toward improved antibacterial efficacy in medical settings are provided.

Time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry-A method to evaluate plasma-modified three-dimensional scaffold chemistry.

Biopolymers are used extensively in the manufacture of porous scaffolds for a variety of biological applications. The surfaces of these scaffolds are often modified to encourage specific interactions such as surface modification of scaffolds to prevent fouling or to promote a cell supportive environment for tissue engineering implants. However, few techniques can effectively characterize the uniformity of surface modifications in a porous scaffold. By filling the scaffold pores through polymer embedding, followed by analysis with imaging time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), the distribution and composition of surface chemical species though complex porous scaffolds can be characterized. This method is demonstrated on poly(caprolactone) scaffolds modified with a low-fouling plasma-deposited coating from octafluoropropane via plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. A gradient distribution of CF+/CF3+ is observed for scaffolds plasma treated for 5 min, whereas a 20 min treatment results in more uniform distribution of the surface modification throughout the entire scaffold. The authors expect this approach to be widely applicable for ToF-SIMS analysis of scaffolds modified by multiple plasma processing techniques as well as alternative surface modification approaches.

Plasma-modified nitric oxide-releasing polymer films exhibit time-delayed 8-log reduction in growth of bacteria.

Tygon(®) and other poly(vinyl chloride)-derived polymers are frequently used for tubing in blood transfusions, hemodialysis, and other extracorporeal circuit applications. These materials, however, tend to promote bacterial proliferation which contributes to the high risk of infection associated with device use. Antibacterial agents, such as nitric oxide donors, can be incorporated into these materials to eliminate bacteria before they can proliferate. The release of the antimicrobial agent from the device, however, is challenging to control and sustain on timescales relevant to blood transport procedures. Surface modification techniques can be employed to address challenges with controlled drug release. Here, surface modification using H2O (v) plasma is explored as a potential method to improve the biocompatibility of biomedical polymers, namely, to tune the nitric oxide-releasing capabilities from Tygon films. Film properties are evaluated pre- and post-treatment by contact angle goniometry, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and optical profilometry. H2O (v) plasma treatment significantly enhances the wettability of the nitric-oxide releasing films, doubles film oxygen content, and maintains surface roughness. Using the kill rate method, the authors determine both treated and untreated films cause an 8 log reduction in the population of both Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus. Notably, however, H2O (v) plasma treatment delays the kill rate of treated films by 24 h, yet antibacterial efficacy is not diminished. Results of nitric oxide release, measured via chemiluminescent detection, are also reported and correlated to the observed kill rate behavior. Overall, the observed delay in biocidal agent release caused by our treatment indicates that plasma surface modification is an important route toward achieving controlled drug release from polymeric biomedical devices.