Open AccessAntimicrobial effect of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and their mechanism – a mini review
Author(s) -
Kalwar Kaleemullah,
Shan Dan
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
micro and nano letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.25
H-Index - 31
ISSN - 1750-0443
DOI - 10.1049/mnl.2017.0648
Subject(s) - antimicrobial , silver nanoparticle , bacteria , toxicity , chemistry , mechanism (biology) , microorganism , pathogenic bacteria , microbiology and biotechnology , nanoparticle , nanotechnology , biology , materials science , organic chemistry , philosophy , genetics , epistemology
Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are widely utilised in the industry and health care. This review demonstrates an exhaustive report on the toxicity of AgNPs towards pathogenic microbes. AgNPs are the most abundant antimicrobial agent for bacteria than other species and less harmful to human cells than to bacterial cells. This report suggests the relatively high acute toxicity of AgNPs to the microorganism. In addition, the toxicity mechanism of AgNPs is briefly discussed.