MUMBAI, India, May 29 -- Intellectual Property India has published a patent application (202631017868 A) filed by Guru Nanak Institute Of Pharmaceutical Science And Technology, Kolkata, West Bengal, on Feb. 17, for 'process for producing antimicrobial low-density polyethylene nanoparticles by melt-homogenization with light liquid paraffin and tween-20.'
Inventor(s) include Debabrata Ghosh Dastidar; and Sandip Mallik.
The application for the patent was published on May 29, under issue no. 22/2026.
According to the abstract released by the Intellectual Property India: "A novel method for preparing nanoplastic formulations and evaluating their antimicrobial potential is disclosed. This technology relates to the field of antimicrobial agents, specifically utilizing nanoplastics against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria. The method addresses the need for effective antimicrobial agents by utilizing a unique nanoplastic formulation synthesized from low-density polyethylene (LDPE). The preparation involves a combination of melting, paraffin addition, and surfactant incorporation, followed by a thorough mixing process to yield nanoplastics with an average particle size of approximately 103.8 nm, as determined by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS). Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) revealed a predominantly spherical morphology with an average particle size of approximately 16.87 nm and a polycrystalline structure confirmed by Selected Area Electron Diffraction (SAED). The nanoplastic formulation is characterized by distinct thermal behavior, exhibiting a sharp melting endotherm at 85.36 C as determined by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), and specific functional groups as identified by Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Antimicrobial efficacy is assessed using a liquid broth dilution method, wherein bacterial cultures of E. coli, prepared using eosin methylene blue agar media, and S. aureus, are exposed to varying concentrations of the nanoplastic formulation. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for E. coli was determined to be 249.3 g/ml, with a corresponding IC50 of 60.27 g/ml. For S. aureus, the MIC was established at 250 g/ml, and the IC50 was 46.79 g/ml. The results demonstrate that increasing nanoplastic concentrations correlate with enhanced inhibition of bacterial growth, indicating significant antimicrobial properties of the disclosed nanoplastic formulation."
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
