title: Antimicrobial electrospun silver-, copper- and zinc-doped polyvinylpyrrolidone nanofibers.
abstract: The use of electrospun polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) nanofibers containing silver, copper, and zinc nanoparticles was studied to prepare antimicrobial mats using silver and copper nitrates and zinc acetate as precursors. Silver became reduced during electrospinning and formed nanoparticles of several tens of nanometers. Silver nanoparticles and the insoluble forms of copper and zinc were dispersed using low molecular weight PVP as capping agent. High molecular weight PVP formed uniform fibers with a narrow distribution of diameters around 500 nm. The fibers were converted into an insoluble network using ultraviolet irradiation crosslinking. The efficiency of metal-loaded mats against the bacteria Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was tested for different metal loadings by measuring the inhibition of colony forming units and the staining with fluorescent probes for metabolic viability and compromised membranes. The assays included the culture in contact with mats and the direct staining of surface attached microorganisms. The results indicated a strong inhibition for silver-loaded fibers and the absence of significant amounts of viable but non-culturable microorganisms. Copper and zinc-loaded mats also decreased the metabolic activity and cell viability, although in a lesser extent. Metal-loaded fibers allowed the slow release of the soluble forms of the three metals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Alcalá, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Quirós
authors.affiliation: CENIMAT/I3N, Departamento de Ciência dos Materiais, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, FCT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal.
authors.forename: João P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Borges
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Alcalá, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain; Madrid Institute for Advanced Studies of Water (IMDEA Agua), Parque Científico Tecnológico, E-28805, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Karina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Boltes
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, E-28049 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Ismael
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rodea-Palomares
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Alcalá, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain; Madrid Institute for Advanced Studies of Water (IMDEA Agua), Parque Científico Tecnológico, E-28805, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rosal
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D057139:Nanofibers; D011205:Povidone / Q000737:chemistry*; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry*; D015032:Zinc / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D012834:Silver; D003300:Copper; D011205:Povidone; D015032:Zinc
keywords: Antibacterial; Electrospinning; Nanoparticles; Polyvinylpyrrolidone