Silver and Copper Nanoparticles as the New Biocidal Agents Used in Pre- and Post-Milking Disinfectants with the Addition of Cosmetic Substrates in Dairy Cows

Mastitis is one of the most common issues for milk producers around the world. Antibiotic therapy is often ineffective, and therefore, scientists must find a new solution. The aim of this paper is to estimate the influence of common and well-known cosmetic substrates and mixtures of nanoparticles (NPs) and cosmetic substrates on the viability of frequently occurring mastitis pathogens, Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The obtained results suggest that only collagen + elastin and glycerine influenced and increased bacteria viability. In case of the rest of the cosmetic substrates, the viability of E. coli and S. aureus was decreased, and the results were statistically significant (p <= 0.01). Prepared pre-dipping and dipping mixtures decrease (p <= 0.01) the viability of the mentioned pathogens. The obtained results of the in vitro analysis are very promising. In the next step, prepared mixtures should be tested in different herd conditions if they can be used in mastitis prevention or decrease the number of subclinical mastitis cases. Furthermore, these mixtures could become an interesting alternative for organic milk production where conventional preparations and antibiotics are forbidden. However, further analysis, especially on the influence of prepared mixtures on other bacteria species and, algae, fungi, are necessary.

Automated summary

This paper aims to evaluate the influence of common cosmetic substrates and mixtures of nanoparticles on the viability of mastitis pathogens. The results show that only collagen + elastin and glycerine increased bacterial viability, while the rest of the cosmetic substrates decreased it. Pre-dipping and dipping mixtures significantly decreased the viability of the mentioned pathogens. These promising results suggest that further testing in different herd conditions is needed to assess their efficacy in mastitis prevention or reduction. Additionally, analysis on the influence of these mixtures on other bacteria species, algae, and fungi is necessary.