Nanoparticles at biointerfaces: Antibacterial activity and nanotoxicology

Development of a biomaterial that is resistant to the adhesion and consequential proliferation of bacteria, represents a significant challenge in terms of application of such materials in various aspects of health care. Over recent years a large number of synthetic methods have appeared with the overall goal of the prevention of bacterial adhesion to surfaces. In contrast to these artificial techniques, living organisms over millions of years have developed different systems to prevent the colonization of microorganisms. Recently, these natural approaches, which are based on surface nanotopography, have been mimicked to fabricate a modern antibacterial surface. In this vein, use of nanoparticle (NP) technology has been explored in order to create a suitable antibacterial surface. However, few studies have focused on the toxicity of these techniques and the ecotoxicity of NP materials on mammalian and bacterial cells simultaneously. Researchers have observed that the majority of previous studies have demonstrated some of the extents of the harmful impacts on mammalian cells. Here, we provide a critical review of the NP approach to antibacterial surface treatment, and also summarize the studies of toxic effects caused by metal NPs on bacteria and mammalian cells.