High inhabitation activity of CMCS/Phytic acid/Zn2+ nanoparticles via flash nanoprecipitation (FNP) for bacterial and fungal infections

Plant diseases prompted by fungi and bacteria are one of the most serious threats to global crop production and food security. The destruction of these infections posed a major challenge to plant protection by chemical control. Herein, we develop CMCS/PA/Zn2+ nanoparticles (NPs) using carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS), phytic acid (PA) and metal ions (Zn2+) via flash nanoprecipitation (FNP) strategy. Metal complexes of PA with specified antibacterial and antifungal activities are expected to hold the potential and play a significant role in antimicrobial treatment. The size and size distribution of NPs was confirmed through Dynamic and Static Light Scatterer (DSLS). In acidic-infection microenvironment, the CMCS/PA/Zn2+ NPs can disintegrate and release Zn2+ in situ thus stimulated the corresponding antimicrobial activity. These CMCS/PA/Zn2+ NPs showed outstanding antibacterial efficacy (98 %) against S. aureus and E. coli bacteria in vitro, as well as an impressive antifungal efficacy of 98 % and 81 % against R. solani and B. cinerea at 50 μg/mL respectively. This study contributes a prospective idea to the development of organic-inorganic hybrid NPs as environmentally-friendly and safe agricultural antimicrobials.