Low-Power NIR-Triggered Photothermal Inactivation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa with Polypyrrole Nanoparticles

Conducting polymer (CP) nanoparticles have emerged as innovative materials for biomedical applications, particularly due to their safe interaction with biological systems. This study focuses on the synthesis, morphological, and spectroscopic characterization of polypyrrole nanoparticles (PPy-NPs) as photoactivatable agents under near-infrared (NIR) radiation for the inactivation of pathogenic bacteria. We successfully synthesized uniform nanoparticles (~180 nm) with strong absorption in the NIR region. A comprehensive characterization was performed using electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, X-ray diffraction, and UV-Vis and infrared spectroscopy. The microbiological evaluation focused on elucidating the inactivation mechanism of <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i>, particularly through oxidative stress induction, metabolic activity alteration, and cell membrane disruption. Our results highlight the significant potential of PPy-NPs as photoactivatable agents for the targeted inactivation of pathogenic microorganisms, underscoring their promising applications in antimicrobial surface coatings.