Antibacterial mechanism and activity of cerium oxide nanoparticles

Nanomaterials have been applied as antibacterial agents by virtue of their unique functioning mechanism different from that of conventional antibiotics. Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2 NPs) are important antibacterial agents due to their relatively low toxicity to normal cells and their distinct antibacterial mechanism based on the reversible conversion between two valence states of Ce(III)/Ce (IV). Some studies have been conducted to explore their antibacterial activities; however, systematic research reviews on the related mechanisms and influencing factors are still quite rare. In this review, we discuss the plausible mechanisms of the antibacterial activity of CeO2 NPs, analyze different influencing factors, and summarize various research reports on antibacterial effects on E. coli and S. aureus. We also propose the potential applications and prospects, and hope to provide an in-depth understanding on the antibacterial mechanism and a better guidance to the design and applications of this promising antibacterial material in the future.