Mesoporous Zirconia Nanoparticles as an antimicrobial drug delivery

Mesoporous zirconia nanoparticles (MZN) are a promising inorganic drug-delivery system (DDSs). The design and development regarding MZNs with stimuli-responsive (pH-dependent) drug-releasing capability, aims at enhancing the efficiency and minimizing the side effects of antimicrobial drugs for bacterial infections. In this thesis, special attention is paid to the functionalization of MZNs as carriers in DDSs. Zirconia is a biocompatible material that possesses good chemical inertness, mechanical and thermal properties. Highly efficient, neutral-surfactant assisted sol-gel method is used for the synthesis of spherical MZNs with the high surface area makes it suitable for drug delivery. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, BET isotherm, size plot distribution, loading, and release of trapped drug test has been done. Daptomycin is an anti bactericidal drug that degrades the protein synthesis takes place in Gram-positive staphylococcus aureus, the most problematic one worldwide. Drug loading is achieved by a simple impregnation process at acidic pH. a basic pH offers a faster DPT release from MZN, such property makes the loaded DPT release easily from the nanoparticles to the targeted-site with good efficiency. All the bacterial test results are discussed below in the thesis.