A study of the effects of silver surface chemistry on bactericidal properties of silver nanoparticles.

There has been a rapid increase in the interest and uptake of nanotechnology in both research and manufacturing. Nanomaterials offer some unprecedented opportunities to tap into a whole new range of materials properties and performance levels. However, as with the development of any new technology it is important to asses its possible impact on the environment. There is concern that nanomaterials will easily penetrate cells in living organisms and once inside a cell cause it to die. Clearly the potential threat of nanomaterials therefore need to be assess in order to answer the questions; can a nanomaterials enter cells and if so what properties of the nanomaterial affect the ease of this process? Once in a cell what are the effects of the nanomaterial on its biochemistry? The largest proportion of biomass on the planet is bacteria. These organisms are key to the function of the biosphere and therefore assessing the impact of nanoparticles on these organisms is of paramount importance. This project will study the effect of silver nanoparticles (thought to be toxic to bacteria) and assess the effects of their surface chemistry on their toxicity to single species of bacteria and also communities of bacteria. We will particularly be focusing on the bacteria used to purify waste water.