title: New insights into the bactericidal activity of chitosan-Ag bionanocomposite: the role of the electrical conductivity.
abstract: The relationship between electrical conductivity, structure and antibacterial properties of chitosan-silver nanoparticles (CS/AgnP) biocomposites has been analyzed. To test the film's antimicrobial activity, Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were studied. The interactions between silver nanoparticles with chitosan suggest the formation of silver ions which plays a major role in nanocomposite's bactericidal potency. In CS/AgnP biocomposites, the bactericide effectiveness increases by increasing AgnP concentrations up to 3 wt%, which is close to the electrical percolation threshold of ca. 3 wt%. As the AgnP concentration increases above this threshold, the bactericidal potency is greatly diminished. The elucidated correlation between electrical conductivity and antibacterial activity could be useful in the design of other nanocomposites that involve polymeric-based matrices.
authors.affiliation: Biological and Chemical Research Institute, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Morelia, Michoacán 58060, Mexico.
authors.forename: J Betzabé
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: González-Campos
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (CINVESTAV) Unidad Querétaro, Libramiento Norponiente 2000, Querétaro, Qro. 76230, Mexico.
authors.forename: Josué D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Mota-Morales
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (CINVESTAV) Unidad Querétaro, Libramiento Norponiente 2000, Querétaro, Qro. 76230, Mexico.
authors.forename: Siva
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (CINVESTAV) Unidad Querétaro, Libramiento Norponiente 2000, Querétaro, Qro. 76230, Mexico.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zárate-Triviño
authors.affiliation: Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Qro. 76010, Mexico.
authors.forename: Montserrat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hernández-Iturriaga
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (CINVESTAV) Unidad Querétaro, Libramiento Norponiente 2000, Querétaro, Qro. 76230, Mexico.
authors.forename: Yevgen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Prokhorov
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (CINVESTAV) Unidad Querétaro, Libramiento Norponiente 2000, Querétaro, Qro. 76230, Mexico.
authors.forename: Milton Vazquez
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Lepe
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (CINVESTAV) Unidad Querétaro, Libramiento Norponiente 2000, Querétaro, Qro. 76230, Mexico.
authors.forename: Zaira Y
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: García-Carvajal
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Isaac C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Sanchez
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (CINVESTAV) Unidad Querétaro, Libramiento Norponiente 2000, Querétaro, Qro. 76230, Mexico. Electronic address: gluna@qro.cinvestav.mx.
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Luna-Bárcenas
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D048271:Chitosan / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000648:ultrastructure; D056951:Photoelectron Spectroscopy; D012834:Silver / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D012834:Silver; D048271:Chitosan
keywords: Bactericide; Chitosan; Electrical conductivity; Percolation threshold; Silver nanoparticles