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Silver-Doped Quantum Materials to Eradicate Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Bacteria

AJAS · 2026 Microbiology (inferred)

Sanika Janorkar · Mississippi Academy of Sciences

Overview

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Salmonella Typhi can cause life-threatening illnesses in humans. The antimicrobial properties of quantum materials such as bismuth selenide give them the potential to kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria strains. We prepared bismuth selenide and silver-doped bismuth selenide quantum materials using the hydrothermal synthesis method. Specifically, we dissolved 1 mM bismuth nitrate pentahydrate with 1.5 mM selenium in 12 M hydrochloric acid and autoclaved the solution for 24 hours to create the bismuth selenide quantum material. To create the silver-doped bismuth selenide quantum material, we dissolved 1 mM bismuth nitrate pentahydrate with 1.5 mM sodium selenite and 15% silver nitrate in nitric acid and autoclaved the solution for 24 hours. Scanning Electron Microscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy revealed that the bismuth selenide and silver-doped bismuth selenide had nano-structured morphology, with the silver-doped sample displaying a coating of silver. Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy confirmed that the quantum material samples contained only bismuth, selenium, and silver. Next, we tested the quantum materials against MRSA and Salmonella bacteria by incubating the bacterial solutions with the quantum materials for two hours before plating the samples and culturing them overnight. We found that the bismuth selenide was able to kill ~10% of the MRSA and >50% of the Salmonella, while the addition of silver to the bismuth selenide increased the material’s killing efficiency for both bacteria to >99%. This method shows potential for the eventual eradication of antibiotic-resistant MRSA and Salmonella Typhi and could be used as a successful treatment for other gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial infections. In the future, we aim to explore the use of bismuth selenide to eradicate E. coli and other antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Competition history

  • AJAS 2026 Category not listed

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Source: AAAS Annual Meeting (Confex) / American Junior Academy of Science

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