Antimicrobial Effects of Nanostructured Rare-Earth-Based Orthovanadates

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Antimicrobial Research

Background:

• The urgent need for novel antimicrobial agents drives research into advanced materials.
• Nanomaterials offer potential solutions due to their unique properties.
• Rare-earth-based orthovanadate nanoparticles are being explored for biomedical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the cytotoxicity and antimicrobial efficacy of lanthanum orthovanadate (LaVO₄:Eu³⁺) and gadolinium orthovanadate (GdVO₄:Eu³⁺) nanoparticles.
• To compare the potential of these nanoparticles as antibacterial agents.

Main Methods:

• Cytotoxicity assessed using MTT, neutral red uptake, and scratch assays on fibroblasts.
• Antimicrobial activity determined by micro-dilution method (minimum inhibitory concentration - MIC).
• DNA cleavage activity and biofilm inhibition assays were performed.

Main Results:

• GdVO₄:Eu³⁺ nanoparticles exhibited lower cytotoxicity against eukaryotic cells compared to LaVO₄:Eu³⁺.
• Both nanoparticles demonstrated antimicrobial activity, with GdVO₄:Eu³⁺ showing highest MIC values of 64 mg/L against E. hirae, E. faecalis, and S. aureus.
• Nanoparticles effectively cleaved plasmid DNA and inhibited S. aureus biofilm formation at 500 mg/L, reducing microbial viability.

Conclusions:

• GdVO₄:Eu³⁺ nanoparticles are less toxic and more effective antibacterial agents than LaVO₄:Eu³⁺ nanoparticles.
• These rare-earth orthovanadate nanoparticles show promise for developing new antimicrobial strategies.
• Further research into their mechanism of action and therapeutic potential is warranted.