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Antimicrobial activity of metals: mechanisms, molecular targets and applications

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TLDR
The chemical and toxicological principles that underlie the antimicrobial activity of metals are described and the preferences of metal atoms for specific microbial targets are discussed.
Abstract
Metals have been used as antimicrobial agents since antiquity, but throughout most of history their modes of action have remained unclear. Recent studies indicate that different metals cause discrete and distinct types of injuries to microbial cells as a result of oxidative stress, protein dysfunction or membrane damage. Here, we describe the chemical and toxicological principles that underlie the antimicrobial activity of metals and discuss the preferences of metal atoms for specific microbial targets. Interdisciplinary research is advancing not only our understanding of metal toxicity but also the design of metal-based compounds for use as antimicrobial agents and alternatives to antibiotics.

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Citations
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Bioaccumulation of heavy metals, lipid profiles, and antioxidant status of snails (Achatina achatina) around cement factory vicinities.

TL;DR: There were negative correlations between the heavy metal levels and the activities of GST and AR as well as GSH levels, while positively correlating with LDH activity and MDA level.
Journal ArticleDOI

Influence of antibiotic adsorption on biocidal activities of silver nanoparticles.

TL;DR: Synergistic effect of SNPs on antibacterial activities of tetracycline and kanamycin has been observed and may be helpful in reducing their effective dosages.
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Accumulation and sublethal effects of triclosan and its transformation product methyl-triclosan in the earthworm Eisenia andrei exposed to environmental concentrations in an artificial soil.

TL;DR: It is concluded that exposure to low concentrations of triclosan in artificial soil can significantly affect the growth and reproductive performance of earthworms (i.e., E. andrei).
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Improving the metal ion release from nanoparticles embedded in a polypropylene matrix for antimicrobial applications

TL;DR: In this paper, the effect of different variables on the dispersion of copper metal nanoparticles embedded in a polypropylene matrix by melt mixing and its ion release was analyzed, and the results showed that by modifying these variables, a significant improvement in the filler dispersion, as quantified by optical microscope, can be obtained.
References
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Hard and soft acids and bases

TL;DR: In this paper, the rate data for the generalized nucleophilic displacement reaction were reviewed, and the authors presented a method to estimate the rate of the generalized displacement reaction in terms of the number of nucleophiles.
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Absolute hardness: companion parameter to absolute electronegativity

TL;DR: In this paper, a property called absolute hardness eta is defined for neutral and charged species, atomic and molecular, for both hard and soft acids and bases, by making use of the hypothesis that extra stability attends bonding of A to B when the ionization potentials of A and B in the molecule are the same.
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Shape-Controlled Synthesis of Gold and Silver Nanoparticles

TL;DR: Monodisperse samples of silver nanocubes were synthesized in large quantities by reducing silver nitrate with ethylene glycol in the presence of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP), characterized by a slightly truncated shape bounded by {100, {110}, and {111} facets.
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Free radicals, metals and antioxidants in oxidative stress-induced cancer

TL;DR: This review examines the evidence for involvement of the oxidative stress in the carcinogenesis process and the role of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants in the process of carcinogenesis as well as the antioxidant interactions with various regulatory factors.
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The bactericidal effect of silver nanoparticles

TL;DR: The results indicate that the bactericidal properties of the nanoparticles are size dependent, since the only nanoparticles that present a direct interaction with the bacteria preferentially have a diameter of approximately 1-10 nm.
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