Ahmad M. Hussein, Essam E. Al-Wakeel, Manal F. Osman, Fikry M. Reicha And Tarek A. Elkhooly,

ABSTRACT

Objectives: The Current Study Was Conducted To Synthesize, Characterize And Evaluate Silver Nanoparticles-containing Bone Tissue Scaffolds Made From Hydroxyapatite (derived From Cuttlebone) And Chitosan (Cs). Methods: Hydroxyapatite Was Prepared From Cuttlefish Bone Using Hydrothermal Method. The Chemical Composition And Microstructure Of The Prepared Hydroxyapatite (HAp) Were Characterized By X-ray Diffraction (XRD) Analysis, Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FT-IR) Spectroscopy And Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). In Addition To A Novel Electrochemical Method, Chitosan-silver Nanoparticles (Cs-Ag NPs) Composite Was Prepared By A Chemical Method. The Morphology And Concentration Of The Prepared Silver Nanoparticles (Ag NPs) Were Characterized By Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) And Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP). The Hydroxyapatite-chitosan-silver Nanoparticles (HAp-Cs-Ag NPs) Composite Was Prepared By Immersion Of The Prepared HAp In The Prepared Cs-Ag NPs Solution, Followed By Drying. Antibacterial Action Was Checked By Agar Diffusion Method Against Staphylococcus Aureus (gram-positive) And Escherichia Coli (gram-negative). Moreover, MTS Assay Was Performed To Estimate The Cell Viability.

Results: The Formation Of Hydroxyapatite Was Confirmed By XRD And FT-IR. SEM Micrographs Showed That The Original High Porosity (~450 ?m In Height And ~90 ?m In Width) And Interconnecting Porous Structure Were Maintained After Hydrothermal Transformation. TEM Micrographs Showed Spherical Nanoparticles With Average Particle Size Of 6.3 � 2.1 Nm And 18.0 � 8.6 Nm For The Silver Nanoparticles Prepared By Electrochemical And Chemical Methods, Respectively. The ICP Results Showed That The Concentration Of Silver Nanoparticles Prepared By Chemical Method (64.9 � 5.3 �g/ml) Was Higher Than That Prepared By Electrochemical Method (26.7 � 7.8 �g/ml). The Prepared Hydroxyapatite-chitosan-silver Nanoparticles Composite Had A Pronounced Antibacterial Activity Against Both Staphylococcus Aureus And Escherichia Coli. The Hydroxyapatite-chitosan-silver Nanoparticles Composite Prepared By Electrochemical And Chemical Methods With Concentrations 20% And 10%, Respectively, Showed Acceptable Biocompatibility.

Conclusions: The Prepared Hydroxyapatite-chitosan-silver Nanoparticles Composite May Potentially Be Used As A Bone Tissue Scaffold.