Green-based anti-biofilm nanoformulations against bacterial contaminations in nosocomial environments.

α-amylase enzyme molecules were conjugated to biocompatible and biodegradable ad-hoc synthetized polycaprolactone (PCL) nanoparticles, in order to fabricate an effective and innovative nanoplatform for the treatment of nosocomial Staphylococcus aureus contaminations. Indeed, PCL was chosen as the polymer matrix due to its features and the easy scalability of its synthesis, which enables to obtain a linear or star-shaped architecture with high functionality as in the polymer used. The developed nanoformulation underwent extensive structural and functional characterization to evaluate nanoparticles size and morphology before and after enzyme immobilization. Its antibiofilm effectiveness was then validated against bacterial strains isolated from hospital surfaces, demonstrating its potential for practical anti-biofilm applications. The obtained results demonstrated that the system prepared from the enzyme-conjugated nanoparticles exhibited a significant enzymatic activity and an efficient ability to degrade the protective bacterial biofilm. The proposed nanoformulation can therefore be considered an effective and completely environmentally friendly material for surface disinfection in healthcare facilities, which can be safely used in different environment (e.g. sinks and pipes) or medical equipment surfaces (e.g. touch screens).