Evaluation of Photothermal Activity Based Antibacterial Performance of SrFe2O4-Chitosan Nanocomposite

• Published in: Journal of inorganic and organometallic polymers and materials 2024-12, Vol.34 (12), p.6236-6248
• Main Authors: Shahina, S R, Vidya, S, Sugathan, Shiburaj, Babu, Remya, Resmi, S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Absorption spectra; Absorption spectroscopy; Antibiotics; Antiinfectives and antibacterials; Bacteria; Bacterial infections; Biopolymers; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Chitosan; Drug resistance; Effectiveness; Fourier transforms; Infections; Infrared analysis; Infrared spectroscopy; Inorganic Chemistry; Irradiation; Microorganisms; Nanocomposites; Near infrared radiation; Organic Chemistry; Polymer Sciences; Solar radiation; Spectroscopic analysis; Spectrum analysis; Structural integrity
• ISSN: 1574-1443; 1574-1451
• DOI: 10.1007/s10904-024-03193-2

Bacterial infections remain a significant threat to human health, with the rise of super-bacteria—resistant to antibiotics due to their overuse—further complicating treatment efforts. This emergence of drug-resistant bacteria underscores the urgent need for new antimicrobial therapies. Photothermal therapy (PTT), initially successful in cancer treatment, has shown promising results in combating these resistant bacterial infections. PTT stands out as a non-invasive method with several advantages: it has broad-spectrum antimicrobial capabilities, requires a short treatment duration, and minimizes systemic effects. The effectiveness of PTT against infections is heavily influenced by the properties of the laser used and the selection of photothermal agents (PTAs). The emergence of microbial resistance, compromising the effectiveness of antibiotic treatments, has spurred considerable interest in exploring alternative antimicrobial therapies. In alignment with this objective, we present findings on the utilization of chitosan-based SrFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles. The photothermal nanocomposite rapidly captures and effectively eliminates both Gram-positive Streptococcus pyogenes (S. pyogenes) and Gram-negative Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) upon exposure to near-infrared (NIR) irradiation. In this study, the prepared photothermal antibacterial agents successfully eradicate 100% of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria within 5 min of exposure to NIR radiation. This research employs a modified combustion procedure to synthesize nanoscale SrFe 2 O 4 , which is then combined with the biopolymer chitosan in varying ratios. Structural integrity assessment involves X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses, alongside TEM and SEM EDAX examinations. UV-visible absorption spectroscopy reveals an absorption band in both the visible and near-infrared regions. The material undergoes comprehensive photothermal analysis, with experiments conducted using three different concentrations of pure and doped samples under solar irradiation. The time-temperature graph identifies the highest saturation temperature for 80% chitosan-doped SrFe 2 O 4 at a 1 M concentration, measuring 69.2 °C. With a maximum efficiency of 86.3%, the sample displays promising potential for photothermal applications.