Silica nanoparticles in bacterial detection

Abstract

In this final year project, the study of modification techniques of pluronic copolymer F108 and synthesis of PEG-Mesoporous silica nanoparticle hybrid, namely, SDots is presented. The SDots design was formulated based on multiple studies done on the use of mesoporous silica nanoparticles in bacterial detection and the interactions between surface modified PEG with Lysine and Valine monomers and the cytoplasmic membrane of gram-negative bacteria. SDots were assembled by the amination of F108 copolymer following subsequent addition of a silica precursor Tetraethoxysilane (TEOS). To determine the functionalization of F108 with amine groups, a fluoroscamine assay was used that was able to detect primary amines in compounds. Further characterization of the size and distributions of SDots were done using dynamic light scattering methods.