(540g) Synthesis and Antibacterial Activity of Chitosan Pectin Nanoparticles

Chronic wounds are a significant problem: among the roughly two million nosocomial infections that occur annually within the US, nearly 125,000 result in lower extremity amputation. Chitosan and pectin, natural polysaccharides that behave as weak polyelectrolytes in solution, can create nanoparticles that may exhibit wound healing properties superior to that of current wound healing technology. Chitosan displays antibacterial properties and pectin helps to prevent persistent acute inflammation. In this study, chitosan-pectin nanoparticles were generated via an ionic suspension and characterized for potential use in wound healing. Varying ratios of chitosan and pectin were mixed to form particles of varying sizes. These particles were characterized by morphology, size, and zeta potential using transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and electrophoretic light scattering, respectively. The antibacterial activity of these particles against E. coli and S. aureus was characterized via minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and compared to that of chitosan-tripolyphosphate nanoparticles.