ABSTRACT
Engineered nanomaterials are becoming progressively part of our everyday lives. The control of pathogenic microbes has been a major challenge across the world to prevent infections especially nosocomial infections. Without a clear understanding of the physical and physicochemical characteristics of the nanomaterial, it is incorrect to draw conclusions regarding the toxicity of nanoparticles. Many people think that these nanoparticles are always toxic. This is why it is very important to develop methods to get a prediction of the behaviour and the toxicity of the nanoparticles (NPs) surrounding us in everyday life. The Ag toxicity towards bacteria, viruses, and fungi is significantly higher compared to the toxicity reported for mammalian cells. NPs have the ability to passively enter cells by non-endocytic mechanisms. They end up in the intracellular medium without bounding to the cell membrane. Owing to their plasmonic property, Au nanocrystals have been shown to be useful in in vivo cancer imaging.
