Booth Id:
MCRO045
Category:
Microbiology
Year:
2022
Finalist Names:
Mastrolonardo, Arianna (School: King's Christian Collegiate)
Abstract:
The past decade has witnessed several advances in nanoscience. The current study investigated the antibacterial properties of the lesser used silver oxide & copper oxide nanoparticles (i.e., Ag2O NPs & CuO NPs) against Staphylococcus aureus, with and without the antibiotic Teva-Clindamycin. It was hypothesized that a basic solution of very dilute 0.1M Ag2O NPs in conjunction with Teva-Clindamycin, would be most effective at preventing the growth of S. aureus. NPs were biosynthesized utilizing Aloe vera leaf extract & green tea leaf extract, respectively, alongside microwave irradiation, and verified with UV Spectrometry. It was found that a basic solution of 0.1M Ag2O NPs when paired with Teva-Clindamycin had the greatest zone of inhibition (ZOI), surpassing the positive control of pure Teva-Clindamycin. The results also demonstrated that 2 different NP trials had greater ZOIs than the positive control. That would suggest that, although the majority of NPs have bacterial resistance in ZOIs, they do not perform better than an antibiotic in certain conditions and there might be an interference of mechanisms between NPs and antibiotics. In observing the overall impact of CuO NPs compared to Ag2O NPs, it was found that the CuO NPs were more consistent in reducing bacterial growth, while the Ag2O NPs were extreme in yielding the highest and lowest ZOIs. Applications include (1) NPs utilized as a replacement to antibiotics in the case of antibiotic resistant bacteria, (2) NPs being used in pre-packaged antibacterial bandages for hard to access and impoverished areas with limited space and resources, such as refugee camps, and (3) NPs being utilized for water filtration in remote communities that struggle to receive proper water treatment.