2012 Volume 85 Issue 10 Pages 408-415
With the objective of developing new inorganic antimicrobial agents that can be used both inside and outside of living bodies, beta-Ca3(PO4)2 (β-TCP), known for its use as a ceramic for biomaterials, was simultaneously substituted by anti-bacterially active silver ion and divalent copper or zinc ions to successfully prepare antibacterial beta-TCP compounds (Ag-β-TCP, AgCu-β-TCP and AgZn-β-TCP). It was shown that Ag-β-TCP, AgZn-β-TCP and AgCu-β-TCP prepared in this way are outstanding antimicrobial agents with high antibacterial properties. Moreover, by controlling the antibacterial properties by varying the amount of each metal compound, the development of antimicrobial agents with optimized activity versus specific levels of microbe or viral infection can be anticipated, along with potential uses in a wide range of applications separate from living bodies, such as foodstuffs and industrial fields.
