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Antimicrobial Nanomaterials: Approaches, Strategies and Applications
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Antimicrobial Nanomaterials: Approaches, Strategies and Applications

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Materials Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 December 2025 | Viewed by 2255

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Andrea Bernardos

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Instituto Interuniversitario de Investigación de Reconocimiento Molecular y Desarrollo Tecnológico, Universitat Politècnica de València, Universitat de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 València, Spain
Interests: nanotechnology; mesoporous silica particles; biomolecules; natural bioactive molecules; controlled release; drug delivery; antimicrobial agents; nanomedicine; food sciences
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Antimicrobial nanocompounds have the ability to prevent microbial adhesion or kill microorganisms. Recently, many studies have been conducted on the preparation of nanomaterials with antimicrobial properties against diseases caused by pathogens.

This Special Issue of the International Journal of Molecular Science, entitled “Antimicrobial Nanomaterials: Approaches, Strategies and Applications”, aims to collate recent research and review articles focused on the field of antimicrobial nanomaterials as safety nanocarriers for several applications.

Antimicrobial nanomaterials offer great opportunities for safety nanocarriers to be developed in different applications, such as health, medicine, food, agriculture and crop production, energy and environment applications (in air, water, and/or soil) and industry, among others. Various antimicrobial nanomaterials have been extensively explored in terms of developing safety nanocarriers with high sensitivity, selectivity, and simplicity.

The use of materials at the nanodimension scale provides several improvements in terms of analytical features, including sensitivity, rapidity of response, selectivity, and robustness, demonstrating the huge advantage of using nanomaterials in the development of smart and high-performing analytical tools.

By publishing research on the design and development of new antimicrobial nanomaterials and their applications, we aim to bring together stakeholders from different disciplines. Also, the reader of this Special Issue will gain an appreciation for the real role of antimicrobial nanomaterials as safety nanocarriers.

Dr. Andrea Bernardos
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • nanotechnology
  • biocides
  • antimicrobials
  • controlled release
  • drug delivery
  • antimicrobial agents
  • antimicrobial resistance
  • infection
  • nanoparticles

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

27 pages, 6274 KB  
Article
Synergistic Antimicrobial Activity of BrSPR20-P1 Peptide and Silver Nanoparticles Against Pathogenic Bacteria
by Thanyamai Thongin, Somchai Sawatdee, Nuttapon Songnaka, Jumpei Uchiyama, Theanchai Wiwasuku, Teerapol Srichana, Titpawan Nakpheng and Apichart Atipairin
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(16), 7832; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26167832 - 13 Aug 2025
Viewed by 476
Abstract
Bacterial infection is a cause of life-threatening diseases. The emergence of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria exacerbates this situation, highlighting the need for the discovery of new antimicrobial agents. Our previous study identified a novel antimicrobial peptide, BrSPR20-P1 (P1), which showed potential activity against MRSA. Additionally, [...] Read more.
Bacterial infection is a cause of life-threatening diseases. The emergence of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria exacerbates this situation, highlighting the need for the discovery of new antimicrobial agents. Our previous study identified a novel antimicrobial peptide, BrSPR20-P1 (P1), which showed potential activity against MRSA. Additionally, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) exhibit broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, capable of killing multidrug-resistant bacteria. The combination of antimicrobial agents presents a novel strategy for combating these pathogens. This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of the combination of P1 and AgNPs. It revealed that the combinations showed synergy. The P1 and AgNP mixture at a concentration of 1 and 8 µg/mL (1:8) doubled the activity against S. aureus and MRSA, while that combination of 64 and 64 µg/mL (64:64) exhibited broad-spectrum activity, expanding to E. coli with a 32-fold increase. These combinations exhibited a bactericidal effect, showing the rapid killing of tested bacteria at 10× MIC, with killing rates during the first 3 h ranging from 4.04 ± 0.01 to 4.31 ± 0.03 h−1. The P1 and AgNP mixtures caused a low risk of antibacterial resistance up to 30 passages. It was demonstrated that the synergistic activity of P1 and AgNPs occurred through the disruption of cell walls and membranes, leakage of intracellular materials, and cell lysis. Additionally, the mixtures appeared to interact with bacterial genomic DNA, as indicated by a gel retardation assay. These activities of the combinations were concentration-dependent. The 1:8 µg/mL mixture caused low hemolysis and cytotoxicity and did not impede the wound healing process. In contrast, although the 64:64 µg/mL mixture showed excellent antibacterial efficacy, it was toxic to erythrocytes and mammalian cells. It implies that dose optimization is required to balance its efficacy and toxicity. Therefore, the P1 and AgNP combinations exhibit synergistic antimicrobial activity and have the potential to resolve bacterial infections. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antimicrobial Nanomaterials: Approaches, Strategies and Applications)
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16 pages, 2855 KB  
Article
Cysteine Surface Engineering of Green-Synthesized Gold Nanoparticles for Enhanced Antimicrobial and Antifungal Activity
by Karen M. Soto, Angelica Gódinez-Oviedo, Adriana Romo-Pérez, Sandra Mendoza, José Mauricio López-Romero, Gerardo Torres-Delgado, Jorge Pineda-Piñón, Luis M. Apátiga-Castro, José de Jesús Pérez Bueno and Alejandro Manzano-Ramírez
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(15), 7645; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26157645 - 7 Aug 2025
Viewed by 371
Abstract
Green synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) provides a significantly eco-friendly and low-impact counterpart to conventional chemical methods. In the present study, we synthesized gold nanoparticles using Schinus molle (P-AuNPs) aqueous extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The obtained nanoparticles were then stabilized [...] Read more.
Green synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) provides a significantly eco-friendly and low-impact counterpart to conventional chemical methods. In the present study, we synthesized gold nanoparticles using Schinus molle (P-AuNPs) aqueous extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The obtained nanoparticles were then stabilized by another biocompatible agent, the chiral amino acids L-cysteine (L-Cys-AuNPs) and D-cysteine (D-Cys-AuNPs), to estimate the potential of the surface modification for enhancing AuNPs surface chemistry and antimicrobial action. The synthesized gold nanoparticles were confirmed by UV-Vis spectroscopy, FTIR, XRD, and circular dichroism to validate their formation, crystalline structure, surface properties, and chirality. Physicochemical characterization confirmed the formation of crystalline AuNPs with size and morphology modulated by chiral functionalization. TEM and DLS analyses showed that L-cysteine-functionalized AuNPs were smaller and more uniform, while FTIR and circular dichroism spectroscopy confirmed surface binding and the induction of optical activity, respectively. L-Cys-AuNPs exhibited the highest antimicrobial efficacy against a broad spectrum of microorganisms, including Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and, notably, Candida albicans. L-Cys-AuNPs showed the lowest MIC and MBC values, highlighting the synergistic effect of chirality on biological performance. These findings suggest that L-cysteine surface engineering significantly enhances the therapeutic potential of AuNPs, particularly in combating drug-resistant fungal pathogens such as C. albicans. This research paves the way for the development of next-generation antimicrobial agents, reinforcing the relevance of green nanotechnology in the field of materials science and nanotechnology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antimicrobial Nanomaterials: Approaches, Strategies and Applications)
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24 pages, 5675 KB  
Article
Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Circaea lutetiana Ethanolic Extract: Phytochemical Profiling, Characterization, and Antimicrobial Evaluation
by Zhanar Iskakova, Akmaral Kozhantayeva, Aliya Temirbekova, Saule Mukhtubayeva, Gulmira Bissenova, Zhanar Tekebayeva, Kairtai Almagambetov, Yerbolat Tashenov and Zinigul Sarmurzina
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(12), 5505; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26125505 - 8 Jun 2025
Viewed by 1007
Abstract
In the current decade, the use of plant extracts for the green preparation of metal nanoparticles has garnered increasing attention due to their eco-friendliness, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability. In the current study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized using the ethanolic extract of Circaea lutetiana [...] Read more.
In the current decade, the use of plant extracts for the green preparation of metal nanoparticles has garnered increasing attention due to their eco-friendliness, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability. In the current study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized using the ethanolic extract of Circaea lutetiana for the first time. Thetotal flavonoid content (TFC) and total phenolic content (TPC)of the extract were analyzed by spectrophotometric methods. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy was employed to determine the functional groups involved in both the reduction and stabilization processes of AgNPs. The formation and optical properties of AgNPs were confirmed by Ultraviolet–Visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy. The greenlysynthesized AgNPs were characterized by FT-IR, UV–Vis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and zeta potential analyses, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results confirmed that the AgNPs were spherical in shape with an average size of approximately 3.8 nm and showed a good crystalline nature. Additionally, the AgNPs exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, demonstrating their potential as green antimicrobial agents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antimicrobial Nanomaterials: Approaches, Strategies and Applications)
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