Exploration of cobalt zinc glycerate microspheres with catalytic activity for antibacterial applications

Abstract

The overuse of antibiotics has caused rapid increase in the number of drug-resistant bacteria. Therefore, development of advanced biomaterials with effective antibacterial activity is in great demand. The use of metal ions in combination with organic matter (glycerol) for antibacterial activity is rarely reported. In this letter, we report for the synthesis and exploration of cobalt zinc glycerate (Co-Zn-G) microspheres with catalytic activity for antibacterial applications. The formation process of the Co-Zn-G microspheres is investigated by a solvothermal method. Due to the coordination bonds between metal ions and glycerol ligands, Co-Zn-G microspheres with improved lipophilicity are able to attach to and penetrate the bacterial membranes, resulting in enhanced antibacterial effects. In addition, the prepared Co-Zn-G microspheres have high peroxidase-like activity, which can produce a large amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) to kill bacteria. Based on in vitro experiments, Co-Zn-G microspheres show low cytotoxicity and excellent antibacterial effects against bacteria such as S. aureus and E. coli. Thus, metal glycerate complexes provide new insights for the development of antibacterial agents with high potency and low resistance potential.