On the verge of entering the post-antibiotic era, numerous efforts are in place to regain the waning charm of antibiotics which are proving ineffective against most “Superbugs”. Engineered nanomaterials, especially gold nanoparticles (GNPs) capped with antibacterial agents, are proving to be an effective and novel strategy against multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria. In this study, we report a one-step synthesis of antibioticcapped GNPs (25 ± 5 nm) utilizing the combined reducing and capping ability of a cephalosporin antibiotic, ceftazidime. No signs of aggregation or leaching of ceftazidime from GNP surface was observed upon its storage. Antibacterial testing showed dosedependent broad spectrum activity of Cef-GNPs against both Gram-positive (S. bovis and E. durans) and Gram-negative (P. aeruginosa and E. aerogenes) bacteria. A significant reduction in the minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) of Cef-GNPs was observed as compared to the ceftazidime by itself against Gram-negative bacteria. The MIC of Cef- GNPs were 0.1 mg mL-1 (P. aeruginosa and E. aerogenes) and 1.2 mg mL-1 (E. durans and S. bovis). Cef-GNPs exerted bactericidal action on both P. aeruginosa and E. durans by disrupting the cellular membrane resulting in leakage of cytoplasmic content and death of bacterial cell. Our investigation and results provides an additional step in the development of antibiotic capped GNP as potent next generation antibacterial agents.
","abstract_html":"<p>On the verge of entering the post-antibiotic era, numerous efforts are in place to regain the waning charm of antibiotics which are proving ineffective against most “Superbugs”. Engineered nanomaterials, especially gold nanoparticles (GNPs) capped with antibacterial agents, are proving to be an effective and novel strategy against multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria. In this study, we report a one-step synthesis of antibioticcapped GNPs (25 ± 5 nm) utilizing the combined reducing and capping ability of a cephalosporin antibiotic, ceftazidime. No signs of aggregation or leaching of ceftazidime from GNP surface was observed upon its storage. Antibacterial testing showed dosedependent broad spectrum activity of Cef-GNPs against both Gram-positive (S. bovis and E. durans) and Gram-negative (P. aeruginosa and E. aerogenes) bacteria. A significant reduction in the minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) of Cef-GNPs was observed as compared to the ceftazidime by itself against Gram-negative bacteria. The MIC of Cef- GNPs were 0.1 mg mL<sup>-1</sup> (P. aeruginosa and E. aerogenes) and 1.2 mg mL<sup>-1</sup> (E. durans and S. bovis). Cef-GNPs exerted bactericidal action on both P. aeruginosa and E. durans by disrupting the cellular membrane resulting in leakage of cytoplasmic content and death of bacterial cell. Our investigation and results provides an additional step in the development of antibiotic capped GNP as potent next generation antibacterial agents.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Shah, Monic"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":"Department of Chemistry","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Rajalingam Dakshinamurthy (Director), Chad Snyder, Kevin Williams"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2014,"date_issued":"2014-08-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2014-08-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T06:08:39Z","subjects":["Gold Nanoparticles","antibiotiocs","ceftazidime","multi-drug resistant bacteria (MDR)","Analytical Chemistry","Chemistry","Medicinal-Pharmaceutical Chemistry","Organic Chemistry"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/1389","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Rajalingam Dakshinamurthy (Director), Chad Snyder, Kevin Williams"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Shah, Monic"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Department of Chemistry"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Gold Nanoparticles","antibiotiocs","ceftazidime","multi-drug resistant bacteria (MDR)","Analytical Chemistry","Chemistry","Medicinal-Pharmaceutical Chemistry","Organic Chemistry"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/1389"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["On the verge of entering the post-antibiotic era, numerous efforts are in place to regain the waning charm of antibiotics which are proving ineffective against most “Superbugs”. Engineered nanomaterials, especially gold nanoparticles (GNPs) capped with antibacterial agents, are proving to be an effective and novel strategy against multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria. In this study, we report a one-step synthesis of antibioticcapped GNPs (25 ± 5 nm) utilizing the combined reducing and capping ability of a cephalosporin antibiotic, ceftazidime. No signs of aggregation or leaching of ceftazidime from GNP surface was observed upon its storage. Antibacterial testing showed dosedependent broad spectrum activity of Cef-GNPs against both Gram-positive (S. bovis and E. durans) and Gram-negative (P. aeruginosa and E. aerogenes) bacteria. A significant reduction in the minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) of Cef-GNPs was observed as compared to the ceftazidime by itself against Gram-negative bacteria. The MIC of Cef- GNPs were 0.1 mg mL-1 (P. aeruginosa and E. aerogenes) and 1.2 mg mL-1 (E. durans and S. bovis). Cef-GNPs exerted bactericidal action on both P. aeruginosa and E. durans by disrupting the cellular membrane resulting in leakage of cytoplasmic content and death of bacterial cell. Our investigation and results provides an additional step in the development of antibiotic capped GNP as potent next generation antibacterial agents.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Antimicrobial Nanoparticles: A Green and Novel Approach for Enhancing Bactericidal Efficacy of Commercial Antibiotics"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Rajalingam Dakshinamurthy (Director), Chad Snyder, Kevin Williams"],"dc:creator":["Shah, Monic"],"dc:description.abstract":["On the verge of entering the post-antibiotic era, numerous efforts are in place to regain the waning charm of antibiotics which are proving ineffective against most “Superbugs”. Engineered nanomaterials, especially gold nanoparticles (GNPs) capped with antibacterial agents, are proving to be an effective and novel strategy against multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria. In this study, we report a one-step synthesis of antibioticcapped GNPs (25 ± 5 nm) utilizing the combined reducing and capping ability of a cephalosporin antibiotic, ceftazidime. No signs of aggregation or leaching of ceftazidime from GNP surface was observed upon its storage. Antibacterial testing showed dosedependent broad spectrum activity of Cef-GNPs against both Gram-positive (S. bovis and E. durans) and Gram-negative (P. aeruginosa and E. aerogenes) bacteria. A significant reduction in the minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) of Cef-GNPs was observed as compared to the ceftazidime by itself against Gram-negative bacteria. The MIC of Cef- GNPs were 0.1 mg mL-1 (P. aeruginosa and E. aerogenes) and 1.2 mg mL-1 (E. durans and S. bovis). Cef-GNPs exerted bactericidal action on both P. aeruginosa and E. durans by disrupting the cellular membrane resulting in leakage of cytoplasmic content and death of bacterial cell. Our investigation and results provides an additional step in the development of antibiotic capped GNP as potent next generation antibacterial agents.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/1389"],"dc:subject":["Gold Nanoparticles","antibiotiocs","ceftazidime","multi-drug resistant bacteria (MDR)","Analytical Chemistry","Chemistry","Medicinal-Pharmaceutical Chemistry","Organic Chemistry"],"dc:title":["Antimicrobial Nanoparticles: A Green and Novel Approach for Enhancing Bactericidal Efficacy of Commercial Antibiotics"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Department of Chemistry"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T06:08:39Z"}