[en] Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles have always been a topic of significance in biomedical research due to its tremendous range of applications in the field. Iron being an essential trace element in the body, makes no harm if applied in medicine. In its nano form iron becomes more capable with better potentials. Iron oxide is now being studied for its vital roles in magnetic hyperthermia, as contrast agents in MRI as well as antimicrobial agents. (author)

[en] Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has created an unprecedented global threat to human life. Traditional antibiotics are becoming less effective in combating multidrug-resistant microorganisms that are mutating. Carbon-based nanomaterials have been discovered to exhibit potent bactericidal effects for pathogenic bacteria due to their high surface-to-volume ratio, substantial interior volume, and other distinctive chemical and physical characteristics. By encapsulating soot-derived CNPs in a water-soluble natural polypeptide, bovine serum albumin (BSA), the present study aims to create carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) encased bio macromolecular aggregates with excellent optical and antimicrobial properties. A cost-effective protocol was employed to create biopolymer BSA-stabilized carbon nanoparticles. UV–visible, FT-IR, and fluorescence spectrophotometric techniques, as well as transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses, were used to characterise the synthesised carbon nanosystems. The antibacterial efficacy evaluation of the developed CNPs was tested against selected pathogenic bacterial strains. The study established the use of carbon nanoparticles encapsulated in water-soluble and biocompatible macro-scaffold BSA as an effective antibacterial agent in order to improve the antimicrobial performance for biomedical and environmental applications. (author)