Carbon Nanomaterials as Antimicrobial Agents to Combat Multidrug Resistance

Microorganisms have developed resistance to common antimicrobial medications because of incorrect and excessive usage, demanding innovative strategies to combat microbial infections. This chapter aims to explore the potential of carbon nanomaterials as promising antimicrobial agents in overcoming multidrug resistance. The discussion begins by introducing the complexities of multidrug resistance, emphasizing the urgency for novel therapeutic approaches. The subsequent sections provide an exhaustive examination of carbon nanomaterials, highlighting the distinctive characteristics and structural variety of carbon nanostructures such as fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, and graphene oxides. In this chapter, we thoroughly detailed the antibacterial activity and method of working with carbon nanoparticles. The integrity of microorganisms’ cellular membranes, metabolic activity, and shape are drastically affected when they are close to carbon nanostructures. Carbon-based nanostructures can be assessed for antibacterial activity because of their substantial surface-to-volume ratio, huge interior volume, and other distinctive chemical and physical features. These carbon nanostructures demonstrate a range of antibacterial activities through membrane disruption, oxidative stress induction, or other mechanisms. In conclusion, the chapter emphasizes the need to develop novel treatment strategies for multidrug-resistant bacterial infections, and in that context, breakthroughs in carbon nanomaterials herald a new era in the search for effective antimicrobial drugs.