  In this work, the antibacterial activity of the polymeric precursor
dicarbonyldichlororuthenium has been studied against Escherichia coli and
Staphylococcus aureus. This Ru carbonyl precursor shows minimum inhibitory
concentration at nanogram per millilitre, which renders it a novel
antimicrobial polymer without any organic ligands. Besides,
dicarbonyldichlororuthenium antimicrobial activity is markedly boosted under
photoirradiation, which can be ascribed to the enhanced generation of reactive
oxygen species under UV irradiation. This compound has been able to inhibit
bacterial growth via the disruption of bacterial membranes and triggering
upregulation of stress responses as shown in microscopic measurements. The
activity of polymeric ruthenium as an antibacterial material is significant
even at very low concentrations while remaining biocompatible to the mammalian
cells at much higher concentrations. This study proves that this simple Ru
carbonyl precursor can be used as an antimicrobial compound with high activity
and a low toxicity profile in the context of need for new antimicrobial agents
to fight bacterial infections.
