Synthesis, characterization, antimicrobial and antibiofilm potential of novel bimetallic selenium/zinc oxide nanoparticles: Kinetic study and membrane leakage reaction mechanism determination.

Antibiotic-resistant biofilms present significant challenges to healthcare, emphasizing the need for unique antimicrobial nanomaterials. This study developed bimetallic selenium/zinc oxide (Se/ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) through environmentally friendly co-precipitation to improve structural stability, optical characteristics, antimicrobial efficacy, and antibiofilm activity. The ZnO, Se, and Se/ZnO NPs have been examined using X-ray diffraction, DLS, EDX elemental analysis, zeta potential, scanning electron microscopy, EDX-mapping, and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). Se NPs, ZnO NPs, and Se/ZnO NPs have crystallite sizes of 12.13, 40.88, and 51.14 nm, respectively. Se/ZnO NPs' antibacterial potential had been checked, the minimum quantity required to stop microbial growth was performed, and their capacity to inhibit the formation of biofilms was evaluated to determine how effectively they can combat bacteria that cause wound infections and single-celled yeast organisms. The membrane leakage assay was used to conduct kinetic analysis and determine the potential mechanism of the antimicrobial reaction. Promising antimicrobial activity has been demonstrated by the produced Se/ZnO NPs for the tested bacteria and unicellular fungi. Staphylococcus aureus (with a zone of inhibition (ZOI) of 28.33 mm), Escherichia coli, Candida albicans (19.0 mm ZOI), Klebsiella pneumoniae, and 19 mm surrounding Candida tropicalis, 18.33 mm around Staphylococcus epidermidis, and 17.33 mm near Enterobacter calcoaceticus were among the bacteria it demonstrated a strong antimicrobial activity. All examined bacteria in the integrated samples had minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) from 15.62 to 62.5 μg/mL. A promising MIC of 7.812 μg/mL was shown by Se/ZnO NPs against C. albicans. The favorable conclusions indicated that the developed nano-formula may be used to fight dangerous microbes in the biomedical areas in the future to overcome their resistance.