Synthesis of copper and silver nanostructured complexes to replace growth-promoting antibiotics in swine and poultry production

• Grant number: 20/00766-7
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: December 01, 2020
• End date: August 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Animal Nutrition and Feeding
• Principal Investigator: Camila Neves Lange
• Grantee: Camila Neves Lange
• Company: Brazilian Nano Feed Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento de Aditivos Ltda
• CNAE: Fabricação de alimentos para animais ; Fabricação de produtos químicos inorgânicos não especificados anteriormente ; Fabricação de medicamentos para uso veterinário
• Principal investigators: Hebert Silveira
• Associated researchers: Joaquim Carlos Atra Gonçalves
• Associated research grant(s): 22/00208-0 - Synthesis of nanostructured copper and silver complexes for replacement of growth-promoting antibiotics in swine and poultry production, AP.PIPE
• Associated scholarship(s): 21/00738-6 - Synthesis of copper and silver nanostructured complexes to replace growth-promoting antibiotics in pig and poultry production, BP.PIPE

Abstract

The success of swine and poultry production has been greatly improved by providing antimicrobial agents in therapeutic underdoses known as growth promoting antibiotics (GPA). However, the use of antibiotics in this way can lead to microbial resistance and it is estimated that by 2050 microbial resistance will be the leading cause of death worldwide, so banning GPAs is an inevitable path. Since alternative additives to GPAs are rare on the market, and the vast majority are not as effective in preventing disease and promoting growth, copper and silver based, nanostructured composites will be developed in this project for the reason that they have great potential for substitution to APCs in pig and poultry production. To achieve this goal, high energy complex chain carbohydrates impregnated with copper (CuNPs) and silver (AgNPs) nanoparticles will be developed in this phase 1 of the project. Thus, these carriers will direct AgNPs and CuNPs directly to enterocytes, providing very pronounced nutritional, growth promoting and antimicrobial effects. In this phase 1 of the project, the composites will be characterized by spectrophotometry (Uv-Vis), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for determination of the plasmon band, crystalline structure, direct imaging and determination of average size and morphology. The bactericidal properties and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) will be determined by performing microbiological tests. It is expected at the end of Phase I of this project to obtain composites that are able to replace growth promoters in pig and poultry production, which will later be incorporated into feed formulations in phase 2 of this project, thus ensuring safe animal production and contributing to a growth on the participation of the national animal feed industry in the market through high differentiation in functional and technological products. (AU)