Physicochemical and antimicrobial properties of sodium alginate/gelatin-based silver nanoformulations

• Published in: Polymer bulletin (Berlin, Germany) Germany), 2017-03, Vol.74 (3), p.689-706
• Main Authors: Acharya, Chinmayee, Panda, Chitta R., Bhaskara, Prakash Kumar, Sasmal, Abhisek, Shekhar, Suman, Sen, Akhil K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antiinfectives and antibacterials; Antimicrobial agents; Biocompatibility; Biomedical materials; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Complex Fluids and Microfluidics; Energy consumption; Fourier transforms; Gelatin; Hydrogels; Methods; Nanoparticles; Organic Chemistry; Original Paper; Photon correlation spectroscopy; Physical Chemistry; Polymer Sciences; Polymers; Salmonella; Silver; Sodium; Sodium alginate; Soft and Granular Matter; Swelling
• ISSN: 0170-0839; 1436-2449
• DOI: 10.1007/s00289-016-1738-8

In the present investigation, synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) has been successfully carried out in a very simple and cost-effective manner by reducing Ag + ions in sodium alginate solution and further stabilizing the colloidal mixture with gelatin solution. The ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectra were in excellent agreement with the nanostructure morphology obtained from dynamic light scattering transmission electron microscopy and their size distributions. Increase in precursor concentration was found to promote agglomeration of AgNPs. Antibacterial assays revealed that the nanoformulations were more active against Gram-negative bacteria. Swelling studies of the hydrogel films demonstrated a rapid increase in water uptake. However, an increase in swelling % was observed with decreasing AgNP content. The use of biocompatible materials such as sodium alginate and gelatin not only provides green and economic attributes to this piece of research work but, at the same time, also opens up possibilities of using the nanoformulations in wound dressings, active packaging and several other biomedical applications.