Improved antimicrobial activity of Zinc-Oxide Nanoparticles in peritoneal dialysis fluid using Silk Fibroin Protein coating

ABSTRACT Bacterial infections in the abdominal area are a primary cause of complications in patients with renal failure who are on peritoneal dialysis (PD). To combat such infections, Zinc Oxide (ZnO) Nanoparticles (NPs) are gaining popularity because of their well-known antibacterial characteristics. However, due to their quick accumulation and generation of bio-conjugates upon interaction with the components of PD Fluid, surface modification is required. In this context, the current study’s aim was to coat the ZnO-NPs with Silk Fibroin (SF) protein and assess their stability in PD fluid. UV-vis spectroscopy, Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1 H NMR) spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) characterisations, all validated the stability of SF-coated ZnO-NPs in PD fluid. Furthermore, SF-coated ZnO-NPs were tested as an antibacterial agent against Staphylococcus aureus, and our findings demonstrated that SF-coated ZnO-NPs significantly suppressed S. aureus activity.