A research team, led by Vincent Rotello of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, may have found a way to cross biofilms and wipe out bacteria. ย These nanobombs are droplets of peppermint oil and cinnamaldehyde (which flavors cinnamon) inside a self-assembling shell of silica nanoparticles. These ingredients, benign to humans, have been studied in the past decadeย for their bacteriacidal properties. (Read Study Here)ย Biofilms are responsible for several diseases like sinusitis, chronic wounds, cystic fibrosis and ear infections among others. Possibly the most known biofilm is plaque, which can cause cavities and gum disease. Biofilms also cause hospital-acquired infections from growing on urinary catheters and surgical instruments. Hospital-acquired infections are particularly serious due to drug resistance.