Antimicrobial compositions and methods
AssigneeEvoq Nano, Inc.
InventorWilliam Harold Niedermeyer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Antimicrobial compositions for killing or deactivating microbes, such as viruses, bacteria, or fungi, include metal nanoparticles, a carrier, and a plurality of metal nanoparticles. The nanoparticles can be selected to have a particle size and particle size distribution to selectively and preferentially kill one of a virus, a bacterium, or a fungus. Antiviral compositions can include nanoparticles having a particle size of 8 nm or less, 1-7 nm, 2-6.5 nm, or 3-6 nm. Antibacterial compositions can include nanoparticles having a particle size of 3-14 nm, 5-13 nm, 7-12 nm, or 8-10 nm. Antifungal compositions can include nanoparticles having a particle size of 9-20 nm, 10-18 nm, 11-16 nm, or 12-15 nm.
Claims17
A method of killing or deactivating a target microbe, comprising:
- (i) selecting a bacterium as the target microbe to be killed or deactivated;
- (ii) providing an antimicrobial composition that kills or deactivates the bacterium, the antimicrobial composition comprising:
- a carrier;
- and
- a plurality of spherical-shaped, nonionic metal nanoparticles formed from silver or a silver alloy, formed by laser ablation, and having a mean diameter in a range of 7 nm to 12 nm to kill or deactivate the selected bacterium, wherein at least 99% of the spherical-shaped, nonionic metal nanoparticles have a diameter within +3 nm of the mean diameter, wherein the spherical-shaped, nonionic metal nanoparticles are present in the antimicrobial composition in a concentration of about 0.25 ppm to about 201 ppm;
- (iii) applying the antimicrobial composition to the bacterium or to a substrate containing the bacterium;
- and
- (iv) the metal nanoparticles killing or deactivating the bacterium without significant release of silver ions and with greater efficacy than chemically synthesized silver nanoparticles at the same concentration.
A method of killing or deactivating a target microbe, comprising:
- (i) selecting a bacterium as the target microbe to be killed or deactivated;
- (ii) providing an antimicrobial composition that kills or deactivates the bacterium, the antimicrobial composition comprising:
- a carrier;
- and
- a plurality of spherical-shaped, nonionic metal nanoparticles formed from silver or a silver alloy, formed by laser ablation, and having a mean diameter in a range of 7 nm to 12 nm to kill or deactivate the selected bacterium, wherein at least 99% of the spherical-shaped, nonionic metal nanoparticles have a diameter within 30% of the mean diameter, wherein the plurality of spherical-shaped, nonionic metal nanoparticles are present in the antimicrobial composition in a concentration of about 0.25 ppm to about 1 ppm,
- wherein the antimicrobial composition is non-toxic to humans and other animals;
- (iii) applying the antimicrobial composition to the bacterium or to a substrate containing the bacterium;
- and
- (iv) the metal nanoparticles killing or deactivating the bacterium without significant release of silver ions and without toxic effects to humans or other animals, wherein the antimicrobial composition reduces a number of Relative Light Unit counts to less than 1.5% from a control baseline at a 24-hour measurement period, the control baseline containing no spherical-shaped, nonionic metal nanoparticles.
A method of killing or deactivating a target microbe, comprising:
- (i) selecting a bacterium comprising Escherichia coli as the target microbe to be killed or deactivated;
- (ii) providing an antimicrobial composition that kills or deactivates the bacterium, the antimicrobial composition comprising:
- a carrier;
- and
- a plurality of spherical-shaped, nonionic metal nanoparticles formed from silver or a silver alloy, formed by laser ablation, and having a mean diameter in a range of 7 nm to 12 nm to kill or deactivate the selected bacterium, wherein at least 99% of the spherical-shaped, nonionic metal nanoparticles have a diameter within 30% of the mean diameter, wherein the plurality of spherical-shaped, nonionic metal nanoparticles are present in the antimicrobial composition in a concentration of about 0.25 ppm to about 20 ppm,
- wherein the antimicrobial composition is non-toxic to humans and other animals;
- (iii) applying the antimicrobial composition to the bacterium or to a substrate containing the bacterium;
- and
- (iv) the metal nanoparticles killing or deactivating the bacterium without significant release of silver ions and without toxic effects to humans or other animals, wherein the antimicrobial composition reduces a number of Relative Light Unit counts to less than 1.5% from a control baseline at both a 24-hour measurement period, the control baseline containing no spherical-shaped, nonionic metal nanoparticles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.