The antimicrobial properties of light-activated polymers containing methylene blue and gold nanoparticles.

Perni, Stefano; Piccirillo, Clara; Pratten, Jonathan; Prokopovich, Polina; Chrzanowski, Wojciech; Parkin, Ivan P; Wilson, Michael · Biomaterials · 2009

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

We report the formation of polysiloxane polymers containing embedded methylene blue and gold nanoparticles incorporated by a swell-encapsulation-shrink method. These polymers show significant antimicrobial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli with up to a 3.5 log(10) reduction in the viable count when exposed for 5 min to light from a low power 660 nm laser. The bacterial kill is due to the light-induced production of singlet oxygen and other reactive oxygen species by the methylene blue. Interestingly, the presence of 2 nm gold nanoparticles significantly enhanced the ability of the methylene blue to kill bacteria.

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