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Updated: May 15, 2026
Evaluation of Antimicrobial Activities of Nanoparticles and Nanostructured Surfaces In Vitro
Published on: April 21, 2023
Gold nanoparticles as efficient antimicrobial agents for Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi
Enrique Lima1, Roberto Guerra, Víctor Lara
1Instituto de Investigaciones en Materiales, UNAM, Circuito exterior s/n, Cd, Universitaria, Del, Coyoacán, C,P, 04510, Distrito Federal, Mexico. lima@iim.unam.mx.
Background:
It is imperative to eliminate bacteria present in water in order to avoid problems in healthy. Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi bacteria are two common pollutants and they are developing resistance to some of the most used bactericide. Therefore new biocide materials are being tested. Thus, gold nanoparticles are proposed to inhibit the growth of these two microorganisms.
Results:
Gold nanoparticles were supported onto clinoptilolite, mordenite and faujasite zeolites. Content of gold in materials varied between 2.3 and 2.8 wt%. The size, dispersion and roughness of gold nanoparticles were highly dependent of the zeolite support. The faujasite support was the support where the 5 nm nanoparticles were highly dispersed. The efficiency of gold-zeolites as bactericides of Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi was determined by the zeolite support.
Conclusions:
Gold nanoparticles dispersed on zeolites eliminate Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi at short times. The biocidal properties of gold nanoparticles are influenced by the type of support which, indeed, drives key parameters as the size and roughness of nanoparticles. The more actives materials were pointed out Au-faujasite. These materials contained particles sized 5 nm at surface and eliminate 90-95% of Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi colonies.
