Microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis of silver and copper nanoparticles loaded on reduced graphene oxide sheets for antifungal activity

• Grant number: 20/04560-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2020
• End date: August 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Diogo Paschoalini Volanti
• Grantee: Andreza Roberta Maura Zoccal
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas (IBILCE). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de São José do Rio Preto. São José do Rio Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Dermatomycosis is a fungal infection of keratinized tissues that causes redness, pain, inflammation, and intense itching in the affected region. Bearing in mind that dermatomycoses are the skin diseases that most commonly affect people around the world and that although the use of antifungals minimizes the symptoms of infections, there are many uncertainties about the best therapy to be adopted in each case and its high cost. Thus, the incorporation of nanostructured hybrid materials as a therapeutic resource is highlighted as new studies point to antimicrobial properties, low toxicity, and biocompatibility. The present study aims at the synthesis and characterization of nanocomposites based on silver and copper nanoparticles grown in reduced graphene oxide (rGO) for the evaluation of the antimicrobial activity. The rGO will be used to improve the performance of the metal nanoparticles since this graphene derivative has a high surface area, functional groups, structural defects, and a two-dimensional structure that help in inhibiting the growth of fungi. The nanocomposites will be synthesized by microwave-assisted hydrothermal methods and characterized by specific surface area techniques (BET method), X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and in the infrared region. The microbiological tests will be conducted by microdilution, manipulating the yeasts C. parapsilosis, C. albicans, and C. tropicalis, and the toxicological tests will use the Galleria mellonella model.