MAPLE Coatings Embedded with Essential Oil-Conjugated Magnetite for Anti-Biofilm Applications

Oana Gherasim; Roxana Cristina Popescu; Valentina Grumezescu; George Dan Mogoșanu; Laurențiu Mogoantă; Florin Iordache; Alina Maria Holban; Bogdan Ștefan Vasile; Alexandra Cătălina Bîrcă; Ovidiu-Cristian Oprea; Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu; Ecaterina Andronescu

doi:10.3390/ma14071612

MAPLE Coatings Embedded with Essential Oil-Conjugated Magnetite for Anti-Biofilm Applications

Materials (Basel). 2021 Mar 25;14(7):1612. doi: 10.3390/ma14071612.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, Politehnica University of Bucharest, 1-7 Gheorghe Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania.
² Lasers Department, National Institute for Lasers, Plasma and Radiation Physics, 409 Atomistilor Street, 077125 Magurele, Romania.
³ Department of Life and Environmental Physics, "Horia Hulubei" National Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering, 30 Reactorului Street, 077125 Magurele, Romania.
⁴ Department of Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 2 Petru Rares Street, 200349 Craiova, Romania.
⁵ Research Center for Microscopic Morphology and Immunology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 2 Petru Rares Street, 200349 Craiova, Romania.
⁶ Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agronomic Science and Veterinary Medicine, 59 Marasti Boulevard, 011464 Bucharest, Romania.
⁷ Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 91-95 Splaiul Independentei Street, 077206 Bucharest, Romania.
⁸ Research Institute of the University of Bucharest-ICUB, University of Bucharest, 90-92 Panduri Road, 050657 Bucharest, Romania.
⁹ Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, Politehnica University of Bucharest, 1-7 Gheorghe Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania.

Abstract

The present study reports on the development and evaluation of nanostructured composite coatings of polylactic acid (PLA) embedded with iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄) modified with Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) essential oil. The co-precipitation method was employed to synthesize the magnetite particles conjugated with Eucalyptus natural antibiotic (Fe₃O₄@EG), while their composition and microstructure were investigated using grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) technique was further employed to obtain PLA/Fe₃O₄@EG thin films. Optimal experimental conditions for laser processing were established by complementary infrared microscopy (IRM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigations. The in vitro biocompatibility with eukaryote cells was proven using mesenchymal stem cells, while the anti-biofilm efficiency of composite PLA/Fe₃O₄@EG coatings was assessed against Gram-negative and Gram-positive pathogens.

Keywords: MAPLE; anti-biofilm efficiency; composite coatings; essential oil; magnetite.

Grants and funding

16N/2019/Unitatea Executiva pentru Finantarea Invatamantului Superior, a Cercetarii, Dezvoltarii si Inovarii