Evaluation of Antifungal Activity by Mixed Oxide Metallic Nanocomposite against Candida spp.

High doses of antimicrobial agents are a huge threat due to the increasing number of pathogenic organisms that are becoming resistant to antimicrobial agents. This resistance has led to a search for alternatives. Therefore, this study presents the synthesis and characterization of ZrO2-Ag2O nanoparticles (NPs) by sol-gel. The NPs were analyzed by dynamic light scattering (DLS), UV-visible (UV-vis), Raman and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The NPs were later evaluated for their antifungal effects against Candidaalbicans, Candida dubliniensis, Candida glabrata, and Candida tropicalis, using disc diffusion and microdilution methods, followed by the viability study. The DLS showed sizes for ZrO2 76 nm, Ag2O 50 nm, and ZrO2-Ag2O samples between 14 and 42 nm. UV-vis shows an absorption peak at 300 nm for ZrO2 and a broadband for Ag2O NPs. Raman spectra were consistent with factor group analysis predictions. SEM showed spherically shaped NPs. The antifungal activity result suggested that ZrO2-Ag2O NPs were effective against Candida spp. From the viability study, there was no significance difference in viability as a function of time and concentration on human mononuclear cells. This promising result can contribute toward the development of alternative therapies to treat fungal diseases in humans

Bactericidal activity study of ZrO2-Ag2O nanoparticles

In view of the continuous resistance to antibacterial agents by bacteria and the existing problems of silver nanoparticles as an antibacterial agent, this study reports on the synthesis of pure zirconium oxide, silver oxide, and ZrO2-Ag2Onanoparticles by sol-gel method. The nanoparticles were analyzed and tested for their antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria of Bacillus subtilis, Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus, and gram-negative of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella oxytoca. X-ray diffraction showed the monoclinic ZrO2, cubicAg2O, and peaks corresponding to ZrO2 and Ag2O in their mixed samples. Scanning electron microscopy showed spherically shaped nanoparticles while dynamic light scattering analysis showed ZrO2 (76 nm), Ag2O (50 nm), and ZrO2-Ag2O samples between 14 and 42 nm. The Fourier Transformed Infrared spectroscopy spectra of ZrO2 gave bands at 480 cm 1 to 750 cm 1 (M-O stretching) with Ag2O at 580 cm 1, while ZrO2-Ag2O samples showed bands at 760 cm 1. The screening by agar diffusion assay revealed a pronounced increase in the antibacterial activity of ZrO2-Ag2O against all the tested bacteria when compared with the pure ZrO2 and Ag2O. The improved antibacterial activity of ZrO2-Ag2O largely results from the chemical stability conferred on it by the ZrO2 as observed from the zeta potential measurement

Review of the synthesis, characterization and application of zirconia mixed metal oxide nanoparticles

There has been different synthetic route used for the synthesis of zirconia mixed metal oxide nanoparticles. The different synthetic methods coupled with other factors like concentration, PH, type of precursor used etc help to synthesize zirconia mixed metal oxide nanoparticles having different physicochemical properties. This paper discusses the different synthetic routes of sol-gel, hydrothermal and coprecipitation method for the formation of zirconia in combination with other metal oxide to form zirconia mixed metal oxide nanoparticles, the physicochemical properties of the synthesized zirconia mixed metal oxide nanoparticle, their characterization and application