Silver Nanoforms as a Therapeutic Agent for Killing Escherichia coli and Certain ESKAPE Pathogens

Abstract

The scope of this study included the preparation of silver nanoforms with high antimicrobial efficacy, low cost, and ease of application. The term ‘silver nanoforms’ refers to silver located on the amorphous or crystalline titanium dioxide (TiO2). Silver nanoforms may be used as an alternative to antibiotics in killing bacteria. Pure and silver-incorporated titanium (used as a carrier) was prepared using the sol–gel-modified method. Physical and chemical properties of the samples were described, and the antibacterial activity was indicated using the following strains of bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae (ESKAPE pathogens), and Escherichia coli. The results have shown that the antibacterial activity of silver nanoforms with amorphous TiO2 is much better than that in the samples based on anatase (crystalline TiO2). The sensitivity of the tested bacteria to silver nanoforms depends on physical and chemical properties of the nanoforms and individual characteristics of the bacteria. For the first time, significant participation of amorphous TiO2 in antibacterial compounds has been described through this study.