Characterization and Antimicrobial Evaluation of Gadolinium- Doped Hydroxyapatite for Potential Use as Drug Carrier System

Hydroxyapatite, a ceramic material with similarity to natural human bone, finds applications in various medical fields. HAp-based nanocarriers, particularly in the form of polymeric nanoparticles, offer promising potential for targeted drug delivery and their investigation in biological systems. This study focuses on the synthesis of gadolinium-doped HAp nanofiber using the Microwave Assisted Hydrothermal Method (MAHM), aiming to assess their suitability as drug carriers. The morphological and topological analysis, as well as the elemental chemical composition of HAp-Gd nanofibers, were evaluated using SEM/EDS and crystallinity was evaluated by XRD. The antimicrobial activity of the biomaterial was tested against Escherichia coli using the disk diffusion method. The MAHM successfully synthesized HAp-Gd, as evidenced by the results from SEM and EDS, which confirmed the crystalline and pure nature of the synthesized HAp nanowires. Additionally, these results demonstrated a homogeneous chemical composition and effective integration of gadolinium into the HAp structure. Although gadolinium-doped hydroxyapatite exhibited limited antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, the findings provide valuable insights for further exploration and optimization of its drug delivery potential.