Development of Polymeric Hydrogel Nanocomposites for Antibacterial Application

Abstract

The invasion of bacterial pathogens has becoming a pervasive and challenging issue for public health and environmental well-being with far-reaching implications. The survival and success of all such pathogens share a common requirement: a conducive niche that allows initial attachment, colonization, and replication. Once established, they become resilient to eradicate, develop multi drug-resistance capacity and facilitate further spread. Drinking water and biomedical implants serve as prominent examples of such niches that grapple with bacterial contamination, bearing huge socioeconomic burdens with a high mortality rate. Inherent limitations in conventional disinfection technologies necessitate novel strategies in these two sectors to counteract the challenges posed by such smart enemies. The present work, thus is an attempt to develop polymer-based antimicrobial therapeutics aimed at disrupting the niche-resistance feature of bacteria, utilizing nanotechnology as a tool with multimodal functionalities. Polymeric nanocomposites, in the form of hydrogels and thin films, were fabricated for biocidal applications in both water disinfection and biomedical implants. All such chitosan-based polymeric nanocomposites were synthesized using eco-friendly and straightforward protocols. These materials served as a template for immobilizing nano-antimicrobials, specifically silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) or graphene oxide (GO), with the primary objective of enhancing their antibacterial efficacy while limiting their release into the surrounding environment. The research includes a comprehensive analysis of material characteristics, antibacterial performance against environmentally and clinically relevant strains, elucidation of antibacterial mechanisms, modelling disinfection kinetics, in vitro cytotoxicity assessment, hemocompatibility testing, and evaluation of soil biodegradability. Under environmentally relevant conditions, the improper disposal of biomedical waste presents hazardous consequences for natural water