The use of nanoparticles in anti-microbial materials and their characterization.

Anti-microbial materials have multiple applications in medicine, industry and commercial products. Recent research has proposed the use of nanoparticles in a range of materials, as some metal nanoparticles are known to possess antibacterial properties. The development of such materials presents both the chemist and the biologist with the challenge to effectively choose analytical methods that provide relevant information regarding these materials. Herein, we describe techniques for the characterization of the nanoparticle-doped materials and methods for the determination of their efficacy against biofilm formation.