Antimicrobial properties and bioactivity of zirconia-based biocomposites

Zirconia-based composites are promising materials for medical and dental applications. They are widely used due to their osteoconductivity and chemical stability. Moreover, when modified with beneficial fillers, they combine mechanical strength with bioactivity. This study addresses the interplay be...

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Main Authors: Magdalena Ziąbka, Agnieszka Wojteczko, Karolina Klesiewicz, Elżbieta Menaszek, Sebastian Komarek, Paweł Kwaśniewski, Wojciech Chrzanowski
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:Artificial Cells, Nanomedicine, and Biotechnology
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Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/21691401.2025.2540647
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author Magdalena Ziąbka
Agnieszka Wojteczko
Karolina Klesiewicz
Elżbieta Menaszek
Sebastian Komarek
Paweł Kwaśniewski
Wojciech Chrzanowski
author_facet Magdalena Ziąbka
Agnieszka Wojteczko
Karolina Klesiewicz
Elżbieta Menaszek
Sebastian Komarek
Paweł Kwaśniewski
Wojciech Chrzanowski
author_sort Magdalena Ziąbka
collection DOAJ
description Zirconia-based composites are promising materials for medical and dental applications. They are widely used due to their osteoconductivity and chemical stability. Moreover, when modified with beneficial fillers, they combine mechanical strength with bioactivity. This study addresses the interplay between bioactive fillers, cytotoxicity, antibacterial activity, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in ZrO2 composites. The composites were tested for their biological properties. Thanks to hydrothermally obtained zirconia used in ZrO2/HAp composites the sintering temperature was reduced, which limited hydroxyapatite decomposition. However, ZrO2/HAp composites revealed higher cytotoxicity and ROS levels, linked to calcium ion release resulting from the partial HAp decomposition. Composites with BGCu exhibited strong antibacterial activity and acceptable cytotoxicity due to copper ions disrupting microbial structures and inducing oxidative stress. hBN-containing composites displayed moderate bacteriostatic activity but higher cytotoxicity than BGCu composites. These findings highlight the potential of ZrO2/BGCu composites as bioactive materials for bone regeneration and antimicrobial applications. While composites with hydroxyapatite demonstrate a balance between bioactivity and cytotoxicity, BGCu emerge as a promising modification to enhance antibacterial properties with controlled cytotoxicity. Further research is needed to optimise filler compositions to balance ion release, biological stability, and functionality.
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spelling doaj-art-cd22d2e9f0d241948b23c32e977dcf762025-08-20T02:49:46ZengTaylor & Francis GroupArtificial Cells, Nanomedicine, and Biotechnology2169-14012169-141X2025-12-0153136137810.1080/21691401.2025.2540647Antimicrobial properties and bioactivity of zirconia-based biocompositesMagdalena Ziąbka0Agnieszka Wojteczko1Karolina Klesiewicz2Elżbieta Menaszek3Sebastian Komarek4Paweł Kwaśniewski5Wojciech Chrzanowski6Faculty of Materials Science and Ceramics, Department of Ceramics and Refractories, AGH University of Krakow, Krakow, PolandFaculty of Materials Science and Ceramics, Department of Ceramics and Refractories, AGH University of Krakow, Krakow, PolandFaculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, PolandFaculty of Pharmacy, Department of Cytobiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, PolandFaculty of Materials Science and Ceramics, Department of Ceramics and Refractories, AGH University of Krakow, Krakow, PolandFaculty of Non-Ferrous Metals, Department of Plastic Forming and Metal Science of Non-Ferrous Metals, AGH University of Krakow, Krakow, PolandFaculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney Pharmacy School, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, AustraliaZirconia-based composites are promising materials for medical and dental applications. They are widely used due to their osteoconductivity and chemical stability. Moreover, when modified with beneficial fillers, they combine mechanical strength with bioactivity. This study addresses the interplay between bioactive fillers, cytotoxicity, antibacterial activity, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in ZrO2 composites. The composites were tested for their biological properties. Thanks to hydrothermally obtained zirconia used in ZrO2/HAp composites the sintering temperature was reduced, which limited hydroxyapatite decomposition. However, ZrO2/HAp composites revealed higher cytotoxicity and ROS levels, linked to calcium ion release resulting from the partial HAp decomposition. Composites with BGCu exhibited strong antibacterial activity and acceptable cytotoxicity due to copper ions disrupting microbial structures and inducing oxidative stress. hBN-containing composites displayed moderate bacteriostatic activity but higher cytotoxicity than BGCu composites. These findings highlight the potential of ZrO2/BGCu composites as bioactive materials for bone regeneration and antimicrobial applications. While composites with hydroxyapatite demonstrate a balance between bioactivity and cytotoxicity, BGCu emerge as a promising modification to enhance antibacterial properties with controlled cytotoxicity. Further research is needed to optimise filler compositions to balance ion release, biological stability, and functionality.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/21691401.2025.2540647Antibacterial fillersceramic compositescytotoxicityROS
spellingShingle Magdalena Ziąbka
Agnieszka Wojteczko
Karolina Klesiewicz
Elżbieta Menaszek
Sebastian Komarek
Paweł Kwaśniewski
Wojciech Chrzanowski
Antimicrobial properties and bioactivity of zirconia-based biocomposites
Artificial Cells, Nanomedicine, and Biotechnology
Antibacterial fillers
ceramic composites
cytotoxicity
ROS
title Antimicrobial properties and bioactivity of zirconia-based biocomposites
title_full Antimicrobial properties and bioactivity of zirconia-based biocomposites
title_fullStr Antimicrobial properties and bioactivity of zirconia-based biocomposites
title_full_unstemmed Antimicrobial properties and bioactivity of zirconia-based biocomposites
title_short Antimicrobial properties and bioactivity of zirconia-based biocomposites
title_sort antimicrobial properties and bioactivity of zirconia based biocomposites
topic Antibacterial fillers
ceramic composites
cytotoxicity
ROS
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/21691401.2025.2540647
work_keys_str_mv AT magdalenaziabka antimicrobialpropertiesandbioactivityofzirconiabasedbiocomposites
AT agnieszkawojteczko antimicrobialpropertiesandbioactivityofzirconiabasedbiocomposites
AT karolinaklesiewicz antimicrobialpropertiesandbioactivityofzirconiabasedbiocomposites
AT elzbietamenaszek antimicrobialpropertiesandbioactivityofzirconiabasedbiocomposites
AT sebastiankomarek antimicrobialpropertiesandbioactivityofzirconiabasedbiocomposites
AT pawełkwasniewski antimicrobialpropertiesandbioactivityofzirconiabasedbiocomposites
AT wojciechchrzanowski antimicrobialpropertiesandbioactivityofzirconiabasedbiocomposites