Silver nanoparticles in disinfection

Infectious diseases, now especially African swine fever (ASF), represent a major challenge for swine production in Central and Eastern Europe. In the absence of other methods, biosecurity plays the most important role in control of infectious diseases in swine population. Among biosecurity methods, disinfection proved to be one of the most effective and economically viable tools. Nanotechnology is an important, rapidly evolving multidisciplinary field. Achievements of nanotechnology are being used in many areas of science, such as biology, chemistry, physics, etc. Nanoproducts have been widely adopted for practical use in everyday life. For example, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), thanks to their intrinsic antipathogenic properties and their ability to inactivate bacteria, viruses and fungi either photothermally or by photo catalysis (induced reactive oxygen generation), can offer methods alternative to classical disinfection protocols. It has been proved, both under laboratory conditions and in field veterinary practice, that AgNPs are very useful and efficient as a disinfectant of farm facilities.