Applicable Control of Antimicrobial Resistant Skin Pathogens using Algal-Synthesized Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles

Abstract

Green biosynthesis of nano-metals is an important research demand to have these minute active particles. The biosynthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) was conducted using the marine macro algae Sargassum muticum, as an eco-friendly approach for NPs synthesis. The biosynthesized ZnO-NPs was characterized and evaluated for their antimicrobial potentiality against skin pathogens, Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus, concerning antibiotic sensitive and resistant strains. The ZnO-NPs were applied for fabrication of bioactive cotton textiles, which were also evaluated as antimicrobial coatings. ZnO-NPs was successfully synthesized using S. muticum extract, with uniform distribution, spherical shapes, and particle size range of 4 to 23 nm. The antimicrobial potentiality of biosynthesized ZnO-NPs was evidenced against the entire examined skin pathogens, which included antibiotic resistant strains. The treatment of cotton textiles with ZnO-NPs resulted in bioactive fabrics with comparable shape and surface. The treated textiles had a remarkable microbicidal activity toward examined skin pathogens and maintain their potentiality even after tow laundering cycles. Algal biosynthesized ZnO-NPs is, however, advised for the fabrication of antimicrobial textiles to protect skin from antibiotic resistant pathogens.