Effective use of iron oxide nanoparticles as an antibacterial agent

Anti bacterial activity of iron oxide nanoparticle has received worldwide interest. Iron oxide nanoparticles are synthesized by hydrothermal method. The average particle size of the as prepared iron oxide nanoparticle is 12 nm. Therefore it exhibits an attractive antibacterial property due to increased surface area that enhances the particle surface reactivity. Photoluminescence spectrum of iron oxide nanoparticle exhibits the presence of large number of surface defects, which is associated with its antibacterial activity. In this study, determines the antimicrobial efficacy of the synthesized iron oxide nanoparticles against clinical and standard strains of Bascillus bacteria. It is also used as an effective material to eliminate Ecoli bacteria from the waste water. Therefore, the prepared iron oxide nanoparticles can be used as an antibacterial agent toward food borne diseases in food packaging industry. (author)