Antimicrobial-loaded textiles with marine biopolymer nanocomposites and biosynthesized silver nanoparticles suppress skin pathogens

Abstract

Innovative approaches are needed to potentially overcome resistance with skin pathogens. Utilizing marine biopolymers, such as carrageenan (CA) and chitosan (CH), for biosynthesis and conjugation with nanometals (e.g., Ag NPs) can enhance their bioactive and biological properties to help control microbial skin infections. Ag NPs with CA in the presence of ultrasonic processors, followed by capping with CH for preparing CH/CA-Ag NP nanocomposites, were biosynthesized and assessed as a potential antimicrobial agent for controlling antibiotic-resistant microbial skin infections. By detecting changes in their vibrational frequencies, structures, and shape, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV, XRD, TEM, and SEM were able to validate the formation of nanomaterials. They were then loaded onto cotton textiles, and all fabricated nanomaterials/textiles were assessed for inhibiting pathogens such as Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus . The synthesized Ag NPs and CH/CA-Ag NP nanocomposites had opposite charges and particle sizes with mean diameters of 14.2 and 264.3 nm, respectively. Cotton textiles loaded with Ag NPs, CH/CA, and CH/CA-Ag NPs effectively inhibited the growth of C. albicans and S. aureus , with CH/CA-Ag NPs being the most powerful. Scanning microscopy confirmed the powerful antimicrobial action of CH/CA-Ag NPs toward skin pathogens; microbial cells were completely lysed and deformed within eight exposures. The CH/CA-Ag NP nanocomposite can be recommended as an antimicrobial candidate toward microbial skin pathogens with minor potential toxicity.