Nanoparticles, What Else Are They Good For?

Faithful blog visitors, you'll remember that we have previously dedicated a blog post to nanoparticles and the world of cosmetics dealing with anti-aging products. But perhaps some of you have taken umbrage at our vanity, and so to appease you, we will speak today about nanoparticles and their role in antibacterial products (at which only the unhygienic may take umbrage).
Silver has always been known for its antibacterial properties. The Ancient Phoenicians knew to keep water, wine, and vinegar in silver vessels to ensure freshness. Now in our modern age we have harnessed the technology to understand silver's antimicrobial properties and to repackage it into an even more efficient antibacterial agent. As it turns out, silver disrupts the bacteria's ability to form chemical bonds essential to its survival. Such bonds are the reason for the bacteria's physical structure, so when they meet the silver, they fall apart. How, though, can we make this process even more efficient?
Nanoparticles.
Scientists have irradiated silver nitrate solutions with electron beam technology to release silver ions that then group together to form the nanoparticles in use.

Silver ion nanoparticles 

This is optimal for two reasons: cost and control. Irradiation to produce nanoparticles has proven more cost-effective than using hazardous reducing agents and this can be adjusted to produce nanoparticles of a particular size, controlling their properties. If you've been paying attention to the news recently, you will know that bacterial resistance to conventional antibiotics is a growing concern for the medical community. This is why the nifty new technology of nanoparticles has been flourishing over the past couple years. And preliminary tests already show promising results. Silver nanoparticles are a straightforward, nontoxic method active against such bacteria as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, common disease-causing bacteria.

S. Aureus

E. Coli

P. Aeruginosa

If we may reveal our vain face once again, silver nanoparticles are particularly appreciated by burn victims. Antimicrobial gels using silver nanoparticles have been heralded as the best new thing, proving more efficacious than its brothers (other drugs using silver ions in their technology) in its antibacterial effects and to reduce scarring. As a result, many drugs have already been green-lighted to utilize this technology.

Elta - one of the many antimicrobial wound gels using silver nanoparticles 

As we move into the future, it seems more and more is being discovered about the benefits of nanotechnology. We have seen how it may be used to fight wrinkles but not we are seeing how it is essential to the fight against bacteria which seem to be fighting back with equal force against conventional methods. Nanoparticles are the key to the future of antibiotics. 

References:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19473014
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100524101339.htm
http://www.silverinstitute.org/site/silver-in-technology/silver-in-medicine/bandages/

andrew