Incorporation of silver nanoparticles into active antimicrobial nanocomposites: Release behavior, analyzing techniques, applications and safety issues

Employing new strategies to develop novel composite systems has become a popular area of interest among researchers. Raising people's awareness and their attention to the health and safety issues are key parameters to achieve this purpose. One of the recommended strategies is the utilization of nanoparticles within the matrix of composite materials to improve their physical, mechanical, structural and antimicrobial characteristics. Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) have attracted much attention for nanocomposite applications mainly due to their antimicrobial characteristics. Herein, the current review will focus on the different methods for preparing antimicrobial nanocomposites loaded with Ag NPs, the release of Ag NPs from these nanostructures in different media, analyzing techniques for the evaluation of Ag release from nanocomposites, potential applications, and safety issues of nanocomposites containing Ag NPs. The applications of Ag NPs-loaded nanocomposites have been extensively established in food, biomedical, textile, environmental and pharmacological areas mainly due to their antibacterial attributes. Several precautions should be addressed before implementation of Ag NPs in nanocomposites due to the health and safety issues.