Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles for functional cotton fabrics: antimicrobial efficacy against multidrug-resistant bacteria and cytotoxicity evaluation

Bacterial infections associated with healthcare are a challenge on a global scale due to the high morbidity and mortality rates, especially those caused by multidrug-resistant isolates. Hospital textiles are abiotic surfaces that may serve as a means of disseminating and persisting microorganisms in hospitals, as microorganisms can remain viable on these surfaces for up to months. In this study, we employed a green synthesis approach utilizing guava leaf extract (<i>Psidium guajava</i>) to produce silver nanoparticles, which were then incorporated into a cotton fabric. Antimicrobial properties and the cytotoxicity of the functional textile were assessed. The finding indicated that the green synthesis method was efficient and resulted in a predominant population of nanoparticles with diameters ranging from 25 to 84 nm that were uniformly dispersed in the textile. The functional textile exhibited low toxicity and high antimicrobial efficiency, even against multidrug-resistant microorganisms of particular concern in hospital settings. Atomic force microscopy carried out evidenced invaginations in the cell wall of bacteria submitted to this textile, suggesting surface damage as an important mechanism of action silver nanoparticles incorporated.