Abstract
The problem of cleaning and disinfecting surfaces has become extremely important in the context of the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus pandemic. However, it should be considered that, in everyday life, we come into contact with many other viruses, as well as pathogenic bacteria and fungi, that may cause infections and diseases. Hence, there is a continuous need to search for new and more effective methods of fighting pathogens. Due to their documented antimicrobial activity, silver nanoparticles may be an interesting alternative to the commonly used surface cleaners and disinfectants. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the bactericidal properties of silver nanoparticles obtained with the use of nontoxic plant waste biomass against bacteria isolated from the environment. Silver nanoparticles with the desired physicochemical characteristics were obtained by a simple and rapid chemical reduction method using plant waste such as unused parsley stems and potato peels (the biogenic method). A nanosilver colloid was also prepared by the chemical reduction method, but with reducing and stabilizing chemical substances (the chemical method) used as a control. The bacterial susceptibility to nanosilver synthesized using both methods was evaluated using the disk-diffusion method. The sensitivity of particular Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus isolates to nanosilver varied considerably, and the strongest antimicrobial effect was found in the case of nanoparticles synthesized by the chemical method using a strong chemical reducing agent and a polymeric stabilizing substance, while nanosilver obtained using the biogenic method, using phytochemicals, also had a strong antimicrobial effect, which was found to be extremely satisfactory. Thus, it can be strongly concluded that the biogenic, pro-ecological method of synthesis with the use of plant waste biomass presented in this work allows the application of biogenic nanosilver as a component of agents for washing and disinfection of public utility surfaces.
Highlights
The demand for disinfectants and cleansers has been continuously increasing and often far exceeds their supply
The evaluation of the bactericidal properties of silver nanoparticles obtained by chemical and biogenic methods was followed by physicochemical analysis of the obtained waste infusions and nanostructures
The studies carried out in this work further allow the conclusion that nanosilver with favorable physicochemical characteristics has strong antimicrobial properties against E. coli and S. aureus bacteria isolated from public utility surfaces
Summary
The demand for disinfectants and cleansers has been continuously increasing and often far exceeds their supply. There is a growing public consciousness of the fact that cleanliness and hygiene in areas used by people contribute directly to inhibiting the spread of diseases of viral and microbiological etiology, affecting the health safety of the entire population This is why much more attention is being paid to cleaning and disinfection procedures on surfaces in these areas. Nanosilver is most commonly obtained by chemical, physical, or physico-chemical synthesis [3,4,5,6]; the aforementioned methods of synthesis, effective and well-known, have drawbacks that are problematic in the context of the wider application of nanosilver in that they pose certain difficulties These complications are related to the safety of nanosilver application due to its toxicity to higher organisms, including humans [7]. The “green” approach to nanoparticle synthesis has strong potential due to its ease of fabrication, economic viability, availability of environmentally friendly substrates, and increased applicability, especially in the biomedicine and food industries [7]
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