title: Antimicrobial activity of silica coated silicon nano-tubes (SCSNT) and silica coated silicon nano-particles (SCSNP) synthesized by gas phase condensation.
abstract: Silica-coated, silicon nanotubes (SCSNTs) and silica-coated, silicon nanoparticles (SCSNPs) have been synthesized by catalyst-free single-step gas phase condensation using the arc plasma process. Transmission electron microscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy showed that SCSNTs exhibited a wall thickness of less than 1 nm, with an average diameter of 14 nm and a length of several 100 nm. Both nano-structures had a high specific surface area. The present study has demonstrated cheaper, resistance-free and effective antibacterial activity in silica-coated silicon nano-structures, each for two Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was estimated, using the optical densitometric technique, and by determining colony-forming units. The MIC was found to range in the order of micrograms, which is comparable to the reported MIC of metal oxides for these bacteria. SCSNTs were found to be more effective in limiting the growth of multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus over SCSNPs at 10 μg/ml (IC 50 = 100 μg/ml).
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Pune, Pune 411007, India.
authors.forename: Chiti
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tank
authors.forename: Sujatha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Raman
authors.forename: Sujoy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karan
authors.forename: Suresh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gosavi
authors.forename: Niranjan P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Lalla
authors.forename: Vasant
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sathe
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Berndt
authors.forename: W N
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Gade
authors.forename: S V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Bhoraskar
authors.forename: Vikas L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Mathe
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005740:Gases / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D044367:Phase Transition; D012825:Silicon / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D005740:Gases; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D012825:Silicon