UTILIZATION OF SELENIUM NANOPARTICLES WITH SCHIFF BASE CHITOSAN AS ANTIBACTERIAL AGENTS

Bacterial infections and the increasing resistance of bacteria to antibiotics are included among the major global health problems. Therefore selenium nanoparticles in complexes with chitosan and selenium nanoparticles with Schiff base chitosan were synthesized and tested as potential antibacterial agents. Selenium nanoparticles with chitosan showed the average particle size of 29.4 nm with zeta potential of -44.3 mV. The standardized disc diffusion method has been used for susceptibility testing of selenium nanoparticles with chitosan and derivates on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Chitosan selenium nanoparticles show inhibitory effect on gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli only, whereas chitosan Schiff bases inhibit growth of all bacterial strains tested. The use of selenium nanoparticles in combination with chitosan Schiff bases appears to be a good way for the reduction of bacterial infection.