Survey on the antibacterial effects of tracheal tubes coated with silver nanoparticles

This study developed and characterized a novel antibacterial coating for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tracheal tubes by depositing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) onto a polydopamine (PDA) layer. The PDA coating successfully enhanced surface hydrophilicity, as confirmed by contact angle analysis. Characterization via UV-VIS, FTIR, FE-SEM, AFM, and XRD verified the successful synthesis and deposition of AgNPs with an average size of ~ 70-100 nm and over 50% surface coverage. The antimicrobial efficacy of the PDA/AgNP-coated tubes was evaluated against six pathogens. Results demonstrated significant, time-dependent growth inhibition of Candida albicans, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus. In contrast, Acinetobacter baumannii exhibited resistance. A key finding was the inverse relationship between the incubation time for AgNP deposition and antimicrobial efficacy, attributed to nanoparticle agglomeration. Furthermore, coatings stabilized at a lower ultrasonic power (150 W) showed significantly greater antibacterial activity and stability than those treated at 300 W, due to reduced nanoparticle detachment. This research confirms that PDA/AgNP-coated tracheal tubes are a promising strategy to reduce microbial colonization, with the optimization of deposition and stabilization parameters being crucial for maximizing their clinical potential.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-026-04710-5.