Preparation, characterization, and antibacterial activity of gamma-irradiated silver nanoparticles in aqueous gelatin

Abstract

Colloidal silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) were obtained through gamma-irradiation of aqueous solutions containing AgNO3 and gelatin as a silver source and stabilizer, respectively. The absorbed dose of gamma-irradiation influences the particle diameter of the Ag-NPs, as evidenced from surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images. When the gamma-irradiation dose was increased (from 2 to 50 kGy), the mean particle size was decreased continuously as a result of gamma-induced Ag-NPs fragmentation. The antibacterial properties of the Ag-NPs were tested against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (Gram-positive) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P.a) (Gram-negative) bacteria. This approach reveals that the gamma-irradiation-mediated method is a promising simple route for synthesizing highly stable Ag-NPs in aqueous solutions with good antibacterial properties for different applications.