Antibacterial potential of sodium alginate nanoparticles: synthesis and characterization

In this research, sodium alginate nanoparticles were synthesized through nanoprecipitation using Tween 80 as surfactant and ethanol as solvent. The impact of sodium alginate and surfactant concentrations on nanoparticles was observed. Nanoprecipitation method was chosen for its stability, easy going, and environment-friendliness. The size, polydispersity index (PDI), morphological changes, and chemical modifications of nanoparticles were characterized through various techniques such as zeta potential and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Furthermore, the antibacterial activity of sodium alginate nanoparticles was checked against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, that is, Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumonia, respectively. The zeta results indicated that the nanoparticles size ranges around 100 nm, having a −3.44 mV zeta potential and a PDI of 1. The FTIR spectroscopy graph confirmed the typical feature of sodium alginate nanoparticles through the presence of hydroxyl, carbonyl, and carboxylate groups; the peaks ranges between 450 and 700 cm −1 indicated the interaction between sodium alginate and Tween 80. The antibacterial results suggested the coating of sodium alginate with some sustainable metal to enhance its antimicrobial resistance against various pathogens. Sodium alginate, with its excellent gelling properties and muco-adhesiveness, can serve for biomedical applications and drug delivery.