Abstract
Objective: The objective of this study was to synthesize the molybdenum oxide nanoparticles (NPs) by employing wet chemical method and investigation of their antibacterial properties against pathogenic bacteria.
 Methods: Molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) NPs were synthesized using an eco-friendly wet chemical sol–gel technique. The synthesized MoO3 NPs were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopic techniques to confirm the obtained product, size shape, morphology, functional groups, and absorption spectra, respectively. The size of the MoO3 NPs was found to be 41 nm. The antibacterial activity of these metal NPs was investigated on Staphylococcus epidermidis and Enterobacter aerogenes by measuring the zone of inhibition and colony-forming units on solid medium and by measuring the optical density of the culture solution. Antibacterial activity of MoO3 NPs was also compared with well-known standard antibiotics.
 Results: The antibacterial activities of molybdenum oxide NPs possessing size 41 nm were compared with standard antibiotics such as oxacillin, cotrimoxazole, erythromycin, clindamycin, chloramphenicol, and tetracycline. It was found that all of these antibiotics were effective against Staphylococcus epidermidis while Enterobacter aerogenes was resistant to oxacillin, co-trimoxazole and clindamycin, whereas the MoO3 nanoparticles were found to be effective against both of these bacterial pathogens.
 Conclusion: Inorganic antimicrobial agents have advantages over organic antimicrobial agents due to their stability, preparation methods, and their ability to prevent bacteria to develop multidrug resistant. It was observed that MoO3 nanoparticles (NPs) possess good antibacterial properties; therefore, these can be used in pharmaceutical industries and provide a path for further research regarding the toxicity study for its use in human being.
Highlights
In recent years due to eruption of infectious diseases caused by different pathogenic bacteria and the development of antibioticresistant species due to the repeated use of the antibiotics, the researchers are searching for new antibacterial agents
Antibacterial activity of MoO3 NPs was compared with standard antibiotics
It was found that all of these antibiotics were effective against Staphylococcus epidermidis while Enterobacter aerogenes was resistant to oxacillin, co-trimoxazole and clindamycin, whereas the MoO3 nanoparticles were found to be effective against both of these bacterial pathogens
Summary
In recent years due to eruption of infectious diseases caused by different pathogenic bacteria and the development of antibioticresistant species due to the repeated use of the antibiotics, the researchers are searching for new antibacterial agents. The number of organic substances shows the antibacterial activity, but most of them are toxic in nature. Among the transition metal oxide, molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) exhibits better intercalation chemistry with unique chemical, electrochemical, electronic, and catalytic properties. Zollfrank et al [18] reported that antimicrobial activity of transition metal acid MoO3 is related to their surface acidity involving the intermediate formation of molybdic acid. The prepared MoO3 nanoplates exhibit good antibacterial activity against four tested bacterial species Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Bacillus subtilis, and Enterococcus faecalis. Neha et al [21] reported the synthesis of nanocrystalline h-MoO3 through chemical bath deposition technique studies on its phase transition and investigated the antibacterial properties of h-MoO3 and α-MoO3 against Gram-positive Bacillus megaterium and Streptococcus aureus and Gram-negative E. coli
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