Facile One-Step Electrospinning Process to Prepare AgNPs-Loaded PLA and PLA/PEO Mats with Antibacterial Activity

Abstract

Nanofibers can play an important role in developing new kinds of medical applications. Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and PLA/poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) antibacterial mats containing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were prepared by a simple one-step electrospinning method that allows AgNPs to be synthesized simultaneously with the preparation of the electrospinning solution. The electrospun nanofibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and thermogravimetry, while silver release over time was monitored by inductively coupled plasma/optical emission spectroscopy. The antibacterial activity was tested against Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli by colony forming unit (CFU) count on agar after 15, 24 and 48 h of incubation. AgNPs were found to be mainly concentrated in the PLA nanofiber core, and the mats showed steady but slow Ag release in the short term; in contrast, AgNPs were uniformly distributed in the PLA/PEO nanofibers, which released up to 20% of their initial silver content in 12 h. A significant (p < 0.05) antimicrobial effect towards both tested bacteria, highlighted by a reduction in the CFU/mL counts, was observed for the nanofibers of PLA and PLA/PEO embedded with AgNPs, with a stronger effect exerted by the latter, confirming the more efficient silver release from these samples. The prepared electrospun mats may have good potential for use in the biomedical field, particularly in wound dressing applications, where a targeted delivery of the antimicrobial agent is highly desirable to avoid infections.

Nanoclay-Doped Electrospun Nanofibers for Tissue Engineering: Investigation on the Structural Modifications in Physiological Environment

“…The surface zeta potential (ζ) of the scaffolds was investigated as a function of pH using the surface streaming potential. These results are consistent with the literature 21 and show a decrease in ζ values with increasing pH, caused by the pKa of chitosan amino groups that have an alkaline character ( Figure 6 ). A similar behavior was observed for the HEC-doped scaffolds.…”

Is Silver Addition to Scaffolds Based on Polycaprolactone Blended with Calcium Phosphates Able to Inhibit Candida albicans and Candida auris Adhesion and Biofilm Formation?

“…The silver release data agree well with those of Qian Y. et al (2019), who demonstrated that silver-modified/collagen-coated electrospun poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA)/PCL scaffolds released silver over time, with a peak after 12–16 days [ 34 ]. Additionally, most of the results pertaining to the silver release were performed from electrospun fibers or membranes made of PCL; in this research, the authors revealed a tailored and progressive release of silver from these structures into the medium [ 35 , 36 , 37 ].…”

Electrospun Nanofiber Scaffolds Loaded with Metal-Based Nanoparticles for Wound Healing

“…Allizond et al reported a one-step method for preparing electrospun nanofibers containing AgNPs from polylactic acid/polyethylene oxide (PLA/PEO). The experimental results showed that AgNP–PLA/PEO nanofibers effectively killed S. epidermidis and E. coli by rapidly releasing silver ions [ 156 ]. Spagnol et al modified cellulose whiskers (CWs) to produce carboxylated CWs (CWSAc) with carboxyl groups (-COO-), and then immersed them in a silver nitrate solution (AgNO 3 ) to synthesize AgNPs in situ and anchor AgNPs on the surface.…”