Gold Nanoparticles as Antimicrobial Agents: A Mini-Review

Abstract

Metal nanoparticles, such as gold nanoparticles, have abundant unusual chemical and physical properties owing to the effects of their quantum size and their large surface area, in comparison with other metal atoms. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), in particular, are becoming increasingly popular due to their biocompatibility, multifunctional and aqueous solubility. Many scientific reports described the important antimicrobial properties possessed by the gold nanoparticles. Therefore, the present mini-review summarizes an overview of gold nanoparticles as broad spectrum antimicrobial agents for biomedical applications.