Elucidating the Antibacterial Potential of PEG Modified Silver Nanoparticles

Abstract

The present study provides an insight of antibacterial potential of PEG modified AgNPs. AgNPs were found to be ~26 nm by XRD analysis apart from exhibiting its ultravoilet spectra peak at 250 nm. The Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy further confirmed the observance of peaks between 650 to 500 cm -1 in the synthesized AgNPs. Antimicrobial characterization was monitored by colony forming units (CFU) on agar plates. AgNPs showed 20x10 9 /ml CFU after 24 hrs of incubation at 20 mM AgNPs concentration as against 29x10 9 /ml CFU under similar incubation conditions in the modified AgNPs. Moreover, zone of inhibition (ZOI) appeared as 3.1 and 3.8 cm at 0.2 and 0.4 mM at AgNPs, respectively in E.coli in contrast to 3.5 and 4.5 cm, respectively for modified AgNPs under similar conditions. ZOI for S. aureus showed 3.2 and 3.8 cm, respectively at 0.2 and 0.4 mM concentration for AgNPs while modified AgNPs exhibited ZOI at 3.8 and 4.4 cm, respectively under similar incubation conditions. Their toxic effect was demonstrated by MTT assay to point out their relevance as antimicrobial agent.