Natural Nanoclay-Based Silver-Phosphomolybdic Acid Composite with a Dual Antimicrobial Effect.

The problem of microbial growth on various surfaces has increased concern in society in the context of antibiotic misuse and the spreading of hospital infections. Thus, the development of new, antibiotic-free antibacterial strategies is required to combat bacteria resistant to usual antibiotic treatments. This work reports a new method for producing an antibiotic-free antibacterial halloysite-based nanocomposite with silver nanoparticles and phosphomolybdic acid as biocides, which can be used as components of smart antimicrobial coatings. The composite was characterized by using energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The release of phosphomolybdic acid from the nanocomposite was studied by using UV-vis spectroscopy. It was shown that the antibiotic-free nanocomposite consisting of halloysite nanotubes decorated with silver nanoparticles loaded with phosphomolybdic acid and treated with calcium chloride possesses broad antibacterial properties, including the complete growth inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria at a 0.5 g × L-1 concentration and Acinetobacter baumannii at a 0.25 g × L-1 concentration.

Detection of bacterial colonization by the spectral changes of surface-enhanced Raman reporters.

In times of widespread multiple antibiotic resistance, the bacterial colonization of crucial medical surfaces should be detected as fast as possible. In this work, we present the non-destructive SERS method for the detection of bacterial colonization. SERS is an excellent tool for the monitoring of suitable substances in low concentrations. The SERS substrate was prepared by the aggregation of citrate-stabilized gold nanoparticles and the adsorption of the reporters (crystal violet, thiamine, and adenine). We have tested the substrate for the detection of clinically relevant S. aureus and P. aeruginosa bacteria. The SERS spectra before and after the substrate incubation revealed the degradation of the reporter by the growing bacteria. The growth of P. aeruginosa was detected using the substrates with preadsorbed crystal violet or adenine. The suitable reporter for the detection of S. aureus remains to be discovered. The selection of the reporters resistant to exposure but easily degraded by bacteria will open the way for the in situ monitoring of bacterial colonization, thus complementing the arsenal of methods in the battle against hospital infections.