Synthesis of functionalized Cu:ZnS nanosystems and its antibacterial potential

Synthesis and antibacterial activity of silver doped zinc sulfide/chitosan bionanocomposites: A new frontier in biomedical applications

Numerous microbial species have caused infectious diseases worldwide, which have become a social burden and a menace to the community. So, there is a need to develop antimicrobial materials and specialized materials for biomedical applications. In the present investigation, we report the simple synthesis, the physicochemical, and antibacterial activity of Silver doped zinc sulfide (ZnS: Ag) capped with Chitosan (CS) to produce ZnS: Ag/CS bionanocomposites (BNCs). The prepared BNCs was evaluated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) mapping, and UV-Vis spectroscopy. According to the XRD results, ZnS: Ag/CS particles with semicrystalline chitosan/hexagonal ZnS phase structures and an average crystallite size in the range of 30-40 nm was formed. According to FESEM images, a spherical/hexagonal shape of ZnS: Ag particles embedded in the polymeric chitosan matrix. The colony counting method was employed to investigate the antibacterial activity on Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria. The results revealed that ZnS: Ag particles and ZnS: Ag/CS BNCs have stronger antibacterial activities than pure CS and ZnS. The reduction percentage of ZnS: Ag/CS BNCs against S. aureus and E. coli after 6 h of treatment was >99.9 % and 70 % respectively. These findings suggest that ZnS: Ag/CS BCs not only offer superior antimicrobial properties compared to individual ZnS and CS but also have great potential for advancing biomedical applications due to their enhanced antibacterial performance. The simplicity of the synthesis method and the use of non-toxic materials like chitosan make this a sustainable approach for developing antimicrobial agents, which is a key advantage of this study.

Expediting the bioactivity of zinc sulfide nanoparticles with copper oxide as a nanocomposite

The regulatory role of zinc in bone formation extends to the activation of proteins associated with bone homeostasis. Furthermore, copper is well known for its antibacterial properties. This dual function underscores the significance of zinc and copper in maintaining a balance of bone structure and function. In light of the aforementioned, zinc sulphide/copper oxide nanocomposites were created in this instance using a straightforward coprecipitation technique. Copper oxide was used as a nanocomposite to improve the structural, morphological, and biological performance of zinc sulphide nanoparticles. The X-ray diffraction pattern confirmed a transformation in the crystal structure from cubic to rhombohedral, along with increase in intensity. Fourier transforms infrared analysis indicated the presence of functional groups. Scanning electron microscopy images demonstrated a morphological shift from non-uniform to distinct spherical nanoparticles, impacting the enhancement of material properties. The pathogenic activity of the zinc sulphide/copper oxide nanocomposites was tested against nine bacterial strains. In antimicrobial testing, zinc sulphide/copper oxide nanocomposites showed promising results, particularly against Klebsiella pneumoniae (zone of inhibition: 14 mm at 100 µg/mL compared to 7 mm by standard) and Escherichia coli (zone of inhibition: 11 mm at 100 µg/mL compared to 10 mm by standard) after 24 h with zone of inhibition matching or exceeding that of the standard (chloramphenicol). Zinc sulphide nanoparticles and zinc sulphide/copper oxide nanocomposites were evaluated for their antifungal activity against fungal stains from Trichophyton rubrum, Aspergillus niger, and Aspergillus flavus. After a 24-h period, it was discovered that zinc sulphide/copper oxide nanocomposites were effective against Aspergillus flavus (zone of inhibition: 19.4 mm at 100 µg/mL compared to 6.3 mm by standard) at all concentrations (25-100 mg/mL), with zones of inhibition identical to or greater than those of the standard (fluconazole). Certainly, based on these results, zinc sulphide/copper oxide nanocomposites could be promising materials for drug delivery.Clinical trial registration: Not applicable.

Incorporation of zinc sulfide nanoparticles, Acinetobacter pittii and Bacillus velezensis to improve tomato plant growth, biochemical attributes and resistance against Rhizoctoniasolani

Green nanobiotechnology and beneficial bacterial strains as biofertilizers are crucial in agriculture to achieve food security. Both these strategies have been individually studied in improving plant resistance against phytopathogens along with enhancing plant productivity. Therefore, objective of this study was to explore the eco-friendly and cost-effective approach of utilizing plant growth promoting and disease suppressing bacterial strains and nanoparticles, individually as well as in combination, as bio-stimulants to improve plant growth, antioxidant defense system, nutrition and yield of tomato. A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the zinc sulfide nanoparticles (ZnS NPs) synthesized by using Jacaranda mimosifolia flower extracts (JFE), Acinetobacter pittii and Bacillus velezensis either individually or in combinations to check their potential against Rhizoctonia solani in tomato to suppress root rot infection and improve growth and yield. Among all the combinations the JFE-ZnS NPs + B. velezensis compared to untreated infected plants showed minimum disease incidence and maximum significant protection (66%) against R. solani instigated root rot that was followed by JFE-ZnS NPs + A. pittii and individual application of JFE-ZnS NPs by 58%. The same treatment showed maximum significant increase in plant fresh and dry biomass. B. velezensis significantly increased the photosynthetic pigments when applied individually. However, JFE-ZnS NPs alone and in mixed treatments with B. velezensis efficiently improved total soluble protein, sugar and phenolic contents. The same interactive application of JFE-ZnS NPs + B. velezensis improved the tomato plant nutrition (silicon (Si), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca) and potassium (K)) and redox quenching status by improving the activity of antioxidant defense enzymes. Overall, the interactive use of JFE-ZnS NPs with A. pittii and B. velezensis very appropriately prepared the host plant to fight against the negative effects of root rot pathogen in tomato. Advancements in interactively investigating the nanoparticles with beneficial plant growth promoting bacterial strains importantly can contribute in resolving the challenges of food security. According to our information, this is a pioneer report for implying JFE-ZnS NPs in synergism with A. pittii and B. velezensis to hinder the root rot in tomatoes.

Binder-free cupric-ion containing zinc sulfide nanoplates-like structure for flexible energy storage devices

Researchers have been enthusiastic about developing high-performance electrode materials based on metal chalcogenides for energy storage applications. Herein, we developed cupric ion-containing zinc sulfide (ZnS:Cu) nanoplates by using a solvothermal approach. The as-synthesized ZnS:Cu nanoplates electrode was characterized and analyzed by using XRD, SEM, TEM, EDS, and XPS. The binder-free flexible ZnS:Cu nanoplates exhibited excellent specific capacitance of 545 F g-1 at a current density of 1 A g-1. The CV and GCD measurements revealed that the specific capacitance was mainly attributed to the Faradaic redox mechanism. Further, the binder-free flexible ZnS:Cu nanoplates electrode retained 87.4% along with excellent Coulombic efficiency (99%) after 5000 cycles. The binder-free flexible ZnS:Cu nanoplates exhibited excellent conductivity, specific capacitance, and stability which are beneficial in energy storage systems. These findings will also open new horizons amongst material scientists toward the new direction of electrode development.

Photocatalytic Dye Degradation and Biological Activities of Cu-Doped ZnSe Nanoparticles and Their Insights

Environmental nanotechnology has received much attention owing to its implications on environmental ecosystem, and thus is promising for the elimination of toxic elements from the aquatic surface. This work focuses on Cu-doped ZnSe nanoparticles using the co-precipitation method. The synthesized Cu-doped ZnSe nanoparticles were examined for structural, optical, and morphological properties with the help of XRD, FTIR, UV/vis diffuse reflection spectroscopy (DRS), FESEM, TEM, and XPS. The synthesized Cu-doped ZnSe nanoparticles revealed the presence of Cu2+ in the ZnSe lattice, which has been shown to take a predominant role for enhanced catalysis in the Cu-doped ZnSe nanoparticles. The synthesized Cu-doped ZnSe nanoparticles were investigated for their catalytic and antibacterial activities. The 0.1 M copper-doped ZnSe nanoparticles exhibited the highest rate of degradation against the methyl orange dye, which was found to be 87%. A pseudo-first-order kinetics was followed by Cu-doped ZnSe nanoparticles with a rate constant of 0.1334 min−1. The gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria were used for investigating the anti-bacterial activity of the Cu-doped ZnSe nanoparticles. The Cu-doped ZnSe nanoparticles exhibited enhanced photocatalytic and antibacterial activity.

Antibacterial Assessment of Zinc Sulfide Nanoparticles against Streptococcus pyogenes and Acinetobacter baumannii

BACKGROUND

Due to the appearance of resistant bacterial strains against the antimicrobial drugs and the reduced efficiency of these valuable resources, the health of a community and the economies of countries have been threatened.

OBJECTIVE

In this study, the antibacterial assessment of zinc sulfide nanoparticles (ZnS NPs) against Streptococcus pyogenes and Acinetobacter baumannii has been performed.

METHODS

ZnS NPs were synthesized through a co-precipitation method using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyethylene glycol (PEG-4000). The size and morphology of the synthesized ZnS NPs were determined by a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and it was found that the average size of the applied NPs was about 70 nm. In order to evaluate the antibacterial effect of the synthesized ZnS NPs, various concentrations (50μg/mL, 100 μg/mL and 150 μg/mL) of ZnS NPs were prepared. Antibacterial assessments were performed through the disc diffusion method in Mueller Hinton Agar (MHA) culture medium and also the optical density (OD) method was performed by a UV-Vis spectrophotometer in Trypticase™ Soy Broth (TSB) medium. Then, in order to compare the antibacterial effects of the applied NPs, several commercial antibiotics including penicillin, amikacin, ceftazidime and primaxin were used.

RESULTS

The achieved results indicated that the antibacterial effects of ZnS NPs had a direct relation along with the concentrations and the concentration of 150 μg/mL showed the highest antibacterial effect in comparison with others. In addition, the ZnS NPs were more effective on Acinetobacter baumannii.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this research suggest a novel approach against antibiotic resistance.

GSH-ZnS Nanoparticles Exhibit High-Efficiency and Broad-Spectrum Antiviral Activities via Multistep Inhibition Mechanisms

Despite the good biocompatibility and antibacterial activity of zinc sulfide nanoparticles (ZnS NPs), whether they possess antiviral activity is still unclear. Here, GSH-modified ZnS NPs (GSH-ZnS NPs) were synthesized and their significant antiviral activity was demonstrated using the Arteriviridae family RNA virus, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), as a model. Mechanistically, GSH-ZnS NPs were shown to reduce PRRSV-induced ROS production to prevent PRRSV multiplication, with no activating effect on the interferon (IFN) signal pathway, the first defense line against virus infection. Furthermore, isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ)-based quantitative proteomic analysis of GSH-ZnS NP-treated cells revealed the involvement of numerous crucial proteins in virus proliferation, with vitronectin (VTN) being confirmed as an efficient PRRSV antagonist here. Furthermore, GSH-ZnS NPs were found to have potent antiviral effects on the Herpesviridae family DNA virus, pseudorabies virus (PRV), the Coronaviridae family positive-sense RNA virus, porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), and the Rhabdoviridae family negative-stranded RNA virus, vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), indicating their broad-spectrum antiviral activity against viruses from different families with various genome types. Overall, GSH-ZnS NP is a prospective candidate for the development of antiviral nanomaterials and may serve as a model for investigation of potential host restriction factors in combination with proteomics.