In vitro Evaluation of Antibacterial Activity of Synthetic Zeolite Supported AgZno Nanoparticle Against a Selected Group of Bacteria

Abstract

Background

The development of novel and intriguing nanoparticle (NP)-based materials with antibacterial activity has recently received attention due to the problem of bacterial resistance to conventional antibiotics becoming more and more frequent. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the antibacterial effectiveness of a synthetic zeolite-supported AgZnO nanoparticle against selected bacteria in vitro.

Methods

Using the disc diffusion method, the antibacterial activity of synthetic zeolite-supported AgZnO nanoparticles was assessed against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). Zinc oxide (ZnO) and Ag/ZnO nanoparticles were used to create the zeolite-supported Ag/ZnO composite. Chloramphenicol was used as a standard drug. The nanoparticles and composites were characterized using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS).

Results

Synthetic zeolite-supported AgZnO nanoparticles showed promising antibacterial properties with the largest zone of inhibition against S. aureus bacteria in comparison to E. coli. The synthetic zeolite-supported AgZnO nanoparticle displayed a zone of inhibition against S. aureus and E. coli without a remarkable difference compared to the respective standard drug (Chloramphenicol). Zinc peaks were visible in the X-ray diffractograms, which supported the theory that the characteristic hexagonal wurtzite structure of zinc oxide was present.

Conclusion

All types of ZnO, AgZnO, and AgZnO-Zeolite showed wide-spectrum activity with better effect against gram-positive bacteria, while the Zeolite-Ag/ZnO composite showed even better antibacterial activity. The findings suggest a potential bactericide that needs further evaluation in future studies was observed in synthetic zeolite-supported Ag/ZnO nanoparticles.

Keywords:

• nanoparticles
• zeolite
• Ag/ZnO nanoparticles
• antibacterial activity

Abbreviations

NP, Nanoparticles; ZnO, zinc oxide; XYD, X-ray diffraction; FTIR, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy; AAS, Atomic absorption Spectroscopy; GSE, Geological Survey of Ethiopia; MHA, Mueller Hinton agar; MMP-9, Matrix Metallopeptidase 9.

Data Sharing Statement

The corresponding author will provide the datasets used and/or analysed during the current work upon reasonable request.

Ethical Approval

The experiment’s protocol was approved by Haramaya University’s ethical review board.

Acknowledgment

The necessary lab equipment was provided by Haramaya University, which the authors gratefully acknowledge.

Author Contributions

All authors agreed to submit to the current journal, provided final approval of the version to be published, made significant contributions to the conception and design, collection of data, analysis, and interpretation of data, participated in writing the article or critically revised it for important intellectual content, and agreed to be responsible for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.