Natural antimicrobials synergistically coupled with nanomotors: An innovative strategy for biofilm eradication

Biofilms are one of the most important problems occurring in industrial environments, especially in food industry. The possibility of foodborne disease outbreaks as a result of biofilm-food cross-contamination is a distinct concern, along with the substantial costs associated with food spoilage and biofilm control. Besides, despite daily cleaning and disinfection, many bacteria grow in machines and surfaces in food processing plants, some of them forming biofilms. A promising procedure for disinfection and biofilm elimination could be the use of hybrid antimicrobial nanomaterials endowed with motion (i.e., nanomotors). Herein, we report Janus nanoparticles based on the conjunction of platinum and mesoporous silica nanoparticles, functionalized with a derivative of a natural antimicrobial compound, vanillin. The engineered nanomotors combine H₂O₂-triggered self-propulsion with the antimicrobial activity of vanillin, allowing enhanced physical penetration into the 3D matrix formed by the exopolymeric substances generated in monospecies (Staphylococcus aureus) and multispecies (S. aureus and Escherichia coli) biofilms and the subsequent elimination of pathogenic cells.