Facile synthesis of antibiotic-functionalized gold nanoparticles for colorimetric bacterial detection.

The development of quick and efficient methods for the detection of pathogenic bacteria is urgently needed for the diagnosis of infectious diseases and the control of microbiological contamination in global waterways, potable water sources and the food industry. This contribution will describe the synthesis of gold nanoparticles and their conjugation to broad spectrum, polypeptide and β-lactam antibiotics that function as both reducing agents and surface protectants (ATB@AuNP). Nanoparticle colloids examined using transmission electron microscopy are generally spherical in shape and range from 2-50 nm in size.