Discipline: Chemistry and Chemical Sciences
Subcategory: Chemistry (not Biochemistry)
Cedrick Wright - Talladega College
Co-Author(s): Willard Collier and Garfield Grimmett, Tuskegee University
The purpose of this project is to synthesize and discover the antimicrobial properties of multi-metal nanoparticles containing Zinc, Iron, and Cobalt. Bacterial strands are becoming resistant to conventional treatments such as antibiotics. Based on previous research, nanoparticles can be potential efficient antimicrobials. There have been previous works using Iron and Cobalt nanoparticles that have produced positive results using bacteria, but in this study will incorporate Zinc, which has been found to be a compliment to Cobalt . Also, multi-metal nanoparticles have been proven to be more efficient in a variety of applications compared to their bi-metallic and mono-metallic counterparts. The multi-metal nanoparticle was produced using a Gn4 Polyamidoamine (PAMAM) terminated. Dendrimer templating has produced stable, monodispersed nanoparticles of various transition metals. Stability and monodispersity is a key variable in controlling nanoparticle application efficiency. Tests were conducted by paper disk diffusion assay on two strains of bacteria. SEM and EDS were also used to test the compounds of our solutions as well as the shape of our particles. The effects of the different metal on the bacteria increased as they were introduced in their multi-metallic states.
Funder Acknowledgement(s): NSF Grant DMR- 1358998
Faculty Advisor: Willard Collier, wcollier@mytu.tuskegee.edu
Role: During the summer of 2016, I conducted research on the Dendrimer-Encapsulated Multi-Metal Nanoparticles: Antimicrobial Properties of Zinc, Iron, and Cobalt. The goal of this project was to synthesize and discover the antimicrobial properties of multi-metal nanoparticles containing Zinc, Iron, and Cobalt. We synthesized dendrimer-encapsulated multi-metal nanoparticles through reduction reaction. Tested antimicrobial properties against both Gram- and Gram+ strains of bacteria. Determined if the dendrimer influenced the antimicrobial properties of the metal nanoparticles. Determined if the use of multiple metals will increase antimicrobial strength.