Silver nanoparticle-based nanocomposites for combating infectious pathogens: Recent advances and future prospects

Md A. Wahab*, Luming Li, Hongmei Li, Ahmed Abdala*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

55 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) and their nanocomposites with polymers are potent agents for antibacterial and disinfectant applications. The structural parameters of Ag-NPs, such as size, shape, and surface area, are very critical for developing appropriate formulations for the targeted applications. The impact of these factors on the performance of Ag NPs is analyzed. Ag NPs with a broad spectrum of antibacterial activities have already found applications in wound and burn dressing, food preservation, agricultural ponds, treatment for infected areas, coatings, water treatment, and other biomedical applications. Ag NPs are quite useful against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, but their level of toxicity needs careful investigation as their toxicity could be very harmful to human health and the environment. This review discusses the challenges and prospects of various Ag NPs and their composites. The review will enrich the knowledge about the efficiency and mechanism of various Ag nanoparticle-based antibacterial agents.

Original languageEnglish
Article number581
Pages (from-to)1-16
Number of pages16
JournalNanomaterials
Volume11
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2021
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Antibacterial
  • Biopolymers
  • Chitosan
  • Disinfectant
  • Infectious diseases
  • Nanoparticles
  • Silver
  • Water and air treatment

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