Porcine skin gelatin–silver nanocomposites: synthesis,characterisation, cell cytotoxicity,and antibacterial properties

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesised with hydrothermal autoclaving technique by using AgNO₃ salt (silver precursor) at different concentrations (0.01, 0.1, 0.55, 1.1, 5.5, and 11 mM) and porcine skin (1% (w/v)) gelatin polymeric matrix (reducing and stabiliser agent). The reaction was performed in an autoclave at 103 kPa and 121°C and the hydrothermal autoclaving exposure time and AgNO₃ molar concentration were varied at a constant porcine skin gelatin concentration. The as‐prepared AgNPs were characterised by UV–visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The antibacterial properties of AgNPs were tested against gram‐positive and gram‐negative bacteria. Furthermore, 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl) 2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide and 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl assays were used to test whether the synthesised AgNPs can be potentially applied in cancer therapy or used as an antioxidant. This approach is a promising simple route for synthesising AgNPs with a smaller average particle 10 nm diameter. Furthermore, AgNPs exhibited a good cytotoxicity activity, reducing the viability of the liver cancer cell line HepG2 with a moderate IC₅₀; they also showed a low‐to‐fair antioxidant activity. In addition, AgNPs had a remarkable preferential antibacterial activity against gram‐positive bacteria than gram‐negative bacteria. Therefore, these fabricated AgNPs can be used as an antibacterial agent in curative and preventive health care.Inspec keywords: gelatin, silver, nanoparticles, nanocomposites, nanobiotechnology, biomedical materials, antibacterial activity, microorganisms, Fourier transform infrared spectra, ultraviolet spectra, visible spectra, transmission electron microscopy, cancer, cellular biophysicsOther keywords: porcine skin gelatin–silver nanocomposites, cell cytotoxicity, antibacterial properties, silver nanoparticles, hydrothermal autoclaving technique, gelatin polymeric matrix, UV–visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, gram‐positive bacteria, gram‐negative bacteria, 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl) 2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide assays, 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl assays, cancer therapy, antioxidant, liver cancer cell line HepG2, Ag