At the present time, photodynamic inactivation (PDI) is receiving considerable interest for its potential as an antimicrobial therapy. The results of our study indicate that enhancement of the phototoxic effect on Pseudomonas aeruginosa can be achieved by combination of tetrasulfonated hydroxyaluminum phthalocyanine (AlPcS4) and bimetallic gold/silver nanoparticles (Au/Ag-NPs) synthesized by the cell-free filtrate of Aureobasidium pullulans. The bimetallic nanoparticles were characterized by a number of techniques including UV-vis, XPS, TEM, and SEM-EDS to be 14 ± 3 nm spherical particles coated with proteins. The effect of diode lasers with the peak-power wavelength ʎ = 650 nm (output power of 10 and 40 mW; radiation intensity of 26 and 105 mW/cm2) in combination with the AlPcS4 and the bimetallic nanoparticles mixture on the viability of P. aeruginosa rods was shown. Particularly high efficiency of killing bacterial cells was obtained for the light intensity of 105 mW/cm2, after 20, 30, and 40 min of irradiation corresponding to 126, 189, and 252 J/cm2 energy fluences. For AlPcS4+Au/Ag-NPs treatment, the viable count reduction were equal to 99.90, 99.96, and 99.975%, respectively. These results were significantly better than those accomplished for irradiated separated assays of AlPcS4 and Au/Ag-NPs.
Keywords: Bimetallic nanoparticles; P. aeruginosa; Photodynamic bactericidal efficacy; Tetrasulfonated hydroxyaluminum phthalocyanine.