Assessing the potential biological activities of TiO2 and Cu, Ni and Cr doped TiO2 nanoparticles

Abstract

Nanoparticles are like magic bullets and nanomaterials exhibit appealing properties. Their size and morphology can be switched by dopants for certain biological activities. Nanoparticles in combination with certain drugs enhance the antibiotic effects and may be valuable in combating bacterial resistance. The antimicrobial potency of nanoparticles depends upon their ability to bind to the surface of microbial cell membranes resulting in modulation of basic cell functions such as respiration. We report herein the antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant activities of pure TiO₂ and TiO₂ doped with 4% Cu, Ni and Cr. The performance of pure and doped nanoparticles has been compared with reference compounds. A comparison of the antifungal activities of the samples doped with TiO₂ reveals that Cu–TiO₂ exhibits improved performance against A. fumigatus but lower antifungal activity against Mucor sp. and F. solani. Cu–TiO₂ and Ni–TiO₂ showed good antibacterial action against B. bronchiseptica, while Cr–TiO₂ nanoparticles displayed better activity against S. typhimurium as compared to pure TiO₂. Moreover, pristine TiO₂ and Ni–TiO₂ nanoparticles were found to demonstrate maximum total antioxidant capacity.