Biofilm inhibition on natural rubber by hydrophilic modification using carboxymethyl chitosan stabilised high energy faceted silver nanoparticles

Abstract

Intense bacterial infections have evolved into an immediate public and clinical health crisis, and medical devices are demanded to treat biofilm-mediated infections. It remains a challenge in medical products to eliminate pathogenic organisms despite documented protocols for cleaning and sanitizing surfaces. Silver nanoparticles have appeared as a favourable prospect to fight the rise of bacteria. The present article depicts the synthesis of carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) stabilised anisotropic silver nanoparticles and their antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities. The dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCF-DA) test against Staphylococcus aureus authenticated the reactive oxygen species (ROS) mediated antibacterial action of the nanoparticle. The silver nanoparticles were coated on natural rubber, and the surface properties of silver attached natural rubber developed by simple immersion were assessed using elemental analysis and inductively coupled plasma mass-spectrometry. The coated rubber film exhibits antibacterial properties with significant biofilm removal of 50.64% E. coli, 40.28% S. aureus and 33.87% P. aeruginosa with lower bacterial adhesion along with contact killing efficiency. The developed material can be used in rubber-based medical devices; thus provides a protective shield against bacteria, especially in the hospital field.