Nanotechnology improves the detection of bacteria: Recent advances and future perspectives

Abstract

Nanotechnology has advanced significantly, particularly in biomedicine, showing promise for nanomaterial applications. Bacterial infections pose persistent public health challenges due to the lack of rapid pathogen detection methods, resulting in antibiotic overuse and bacterial resistance, threatening the human microbiome. Nanotechnology offers a solution through nanoparticle-based materials facilitating early bacterial detection and combating resistance. This study explores recent research on nanoparticle development for controlling microbial infections using various nanotechnology-driven detection methods. These approaches include Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) Sensors, Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) Sensors, Optoelectronic-based sensors, Bacteriophage-Based Sensors, and nanotechnology-based aptasensors. These technologies provide precise bacteria detection, enabling targeted treatment and infection prevention. Integrating nanoparticles into detection approaches holds promise for enhancing patient outcomes and mitigating harmful bacteria spread in healthcare settings.

Keywords: Antimicrobial resistant pathogens; Bacterial infection; Nanotechnology-based detection; Nanotechnology-based therapy.

Fig. 1

Timeline of the introduction of the first antibiotics and the development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria.

Fig. 2

Nanomaterials are made up of a variety of particles with diameters ranging from 2 to 500 nm, allowing for maximum contact and powerful interactions with bacterial membranes. Various antibacterial properties are displayed in nanomaterials. Bacterial membranes are harmed by electrostatic interactions with the negatively charged groups that are present there. Nanomaterials can bind different intracellular particles, impairing their functionality. Therapeutic drugs can also be delivered via nanomaterials; some of these materials penetrate bacterial cells easily through membrane fusion, making it easier for their cargo to be delivered.

Fig. 3

Schematic representation of the sensing principle for (a) propagating surface plasmon resonance (pSPR), in which surface charge variations result in an evanescent electric field close to the surface of the metal film, and (b) localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), in which the charge separation of the surface of the metal nanoparticle caused by the LSPR generates an enhanced electric field near the nanoparticle.

Fig. 4

Schematic representation of (a) localized surface plasmon resonance before and (b) after light radiation; (c) electric fields of incident light that are created by the electron oscillations near the metal nanoparticle; (d) LSPR biosensor for bacteria detection before and after the adsorption of the target.