Electrospun alginate mats embedding silver nanoparticles with bioactive properties.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Polysaccharide-based composites with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) offer biocompatible and environmentally safe antimicrobial solutions.
• Silver nanoparticles exhibit effective, broad-spectrum biocidal properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize alginate-stabilized silver nanoparticles (Alg@AgNPs) in situ.
• To fabricate non-woven membranes from Alg@AgNPs via electrospinning.
• To evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of the resulting nanocomposite mats.

Main Methods:

• In situ synthesis of AgNPs stabilized by alginate chains using a wet chemical approach.
• Electrospinning of aqueous Alg@AgNPs suspensions to create non-woven membranes.
• Preliminary testing of biocidal potential against Gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli).

Main Results:

• Homogeneous nanostructured membranes with fiber diameters of 100–150 nm were successfully prepared.
• The size of embedded AgNPs (20–35 nm) influenced the membrane's nanostructure.
• Antimicrobial activity against E. coli was observed within one day, even at sub-nanomolar AgNPs concentrations.

Conclusions:

• Alginate-stabilized silver nanoparticles can be effectively incorporated into electrospun membranes.
• These nanocomposite materials demonstrate significant antimicrobial potential at very low silver loadings.
• The study highlights a promising approach for developing novel antimicrobial materials.