Bactericidal Hydrogel Based on Sodium-Carboxymethylcellulose Contained Silver Nanoparticles: Obtaining and Properties

Stable silver nanoparticles in a sodium-carboxymethylcellulose hydrogel with a substitution degree of 0.65 - 0.85 and polymerization degree of 200 - 600 have been synthesized. Physical, chemical properties and antimicrobial activity of sodium-carboxymethylcellulose hydrogels contained silver nanoparticles were studied. The shape, number and size of silver nanoparticles (SNP) incorporated into the structure of hydrogels of sodium-carboxymethylcellulose were studied by using UV-VIS spectroscopy, transmission electron and atomic force microscopy. It was found that the silver nitrate concentration increase in sodium-carboxymethylcellulose solutions, as well as photoirradiation of the hydrogel lead to the changes of the silver nanoparticles size and shape. The studies have shown that the spherical silver nanoparticles of 5 - 35 nm in the structure of sodium-carboxymethylcellulose hydrogel possess high bactericidal activity. Our results have shown that changing of size and shape of silver nanoparticles contributes to appearance of their biological activity.