ABSTRACT
The ever-increasing resistance of pathogens toward antibiotics has caused serious health problems in the recent years. It has been shown that by combining modern technologies such as nanotechnology and material science with the intrinsic antimicrobial activity of metals, novel applications for these substances could be identified. According to the reports, metals, non-metals, and their respective oxide nanoparticles represent a group of materials that have been investigated in respect to their antimicrobial effects. Particle size has been the essential parameter that determined the antimicrobial effectiveness of non-metal nanoparticles. Nanoparticles have large surface area which increases contact with target organisms. Non-metallic nanoparticles can interact with bacterial cells, regulate penetration of the cell sheath, or interfere indifferent molecular paths. Combination therapy with non-metal nanoparticles might be one of the possible strategies to overcome current bacterial resistance to antibacterial agents. However, further studies should be performed to minimize the toxicity of metal, non-metal, and their respective oxide nanoparticles as proper alternatives for antibiotics and disinfectants especially in biomedical applications. The current chapter will focus on the use of non-metal nanoparticles as an alternative to fight against the antimicrobial resistance of bacterial pathogens.
