Synthesis, characterization and evaluation of bioactivity and antibacterial activity of quinary glass system (SiO2–CaO–P2O5–MgO–ZnO): In vitro study

Bioactive glasses in the systems SiO2–CaO–P2O5–MgO (BGZn0) and SiO2–CaO–P2O5–MgO–ZnO (BGZn5), were prepared by sol–gel method and then characterized. Surface reactivity was studied in simulated body fluid (SBF) to determine the effect of zinc (Zn) addition as a trace element. The effect of Zn addition to the glass matrix on the formation of apatite layer on the glass surface was investigated through X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT–IR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Also, inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectroscopy (ICP–sOES) was used to determine the concentrations of released ions in SBF solution after different time intervals in SBF solution. The antibacterial activity of Zn containing glass against Pseudomonas aeruginosa was measured by the halo zone test. The presence of Zn in glass composition improved chemical durability, slowed down the formation rate of Ca–P layer and decreased the size of crystalline apatite particles. Zn containing glass exhibited an excellent antibacterial activity against P. aeruginosa which could demonstrate its ability to treat bone infection.