Comparable Antibacterial Effects of Silver and Iron Oxide Nanoparticles on Urinary Calculi Obtained After Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy

Background: In recent years, science and industry have focused on preparing nanoparticles (NPs). Due to the resistance of bacteria to antibiotics, there is an overwhelming need to find effective antimicrobials with fewer side effects. Objectives: The aim of this study was to synthesize silver and iron oxide NPs and investigate their antimicrobial effects on bacteria isolated from urinary stones. Methods: Cases of urolithiasis from 45 patients with staghorn stones, extracted through percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL), were included in the study. Urinary stone cultures were performed, and the isolation and identification of bacteria were done using standard microbiological techniques. Silver and iron oxide NPs were synthesized, and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) were evaluated for the isolates. Results: Seventeen (60.7%) out of 28 positive cultured cases of the isolated bacteria were gram-negative, and 11 (39.3%) were gram-positive. The most abundant isolated bacterium was Escherichia coli, with 13 cases (46.4%). The antibacterial effects of silver and iron oxide NPs revealed that the maximum inhibitory zone for Ag NPs at 1000 ppm was 23 mm, and for Fe3O4 NPs, it was 18.5 mm. The MIC was 180 µg/mL for Ag and 250 µg/mL for Fe3O4. The MBC was 228 µg/mL for Ag and 300 µg/mL for Fe3O4. Conclusions: Nanoparticles exhibited antibacterial effects on the bacteria studied in a concentration-dependent manner. Ag NPs showed a more pronounced bactericidal effect than Fe3O4 NPs. As a result, these two NPs demonstrated effective antibacterial activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.