The purpose was to develop and synthesize chitosan nanoparticles so that they could be exploited to encapsulate antibiotics and act as a drug carrier system. Optimizing the pharmaceutical action of an antibiotic while minimizing the toxic side effects in vivo was the ultimate goal of the project. The engineering goal was to synthesize chitosan particles that would have the following characteristics: nanoscale particle size, positive surface charge, and interaction between functional groups. The chitosan solution was synthesized through a novel approach, hydrothermal treatment. The particles were then lyophilized to form a powder. The nanoparticles were tested against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli; both bacteria cause several skin manifestations and lesions. Antibacterial assays were performed on the particles to obtain the minimum inhibitory concentration. The chitosan nanoparticle-antibiotic composite was tested against chitosan nanoparticles, the antibiotic, and copper sulfate. After the encapsulation of the antibiotics, the minimum inhibitory concentration of the nanoparticles was identified and compared to the concentration of the other controls. The chitosan and the antibiotic were concluded to have a synergistic effect on the bacteria. Less concentration of the antibiotic was enough to inhibit the growth of bacteria in the presence of chitosan nanoparticles. The synthesized chitosan nanoparticles were concluded to improve the functionality of the antibiotics. Also, the chitosan nanoparticles had considerably higher antibacterial efficacy compared to the copper sulfate, proving its use as an alternative for copper surfaces. The project has applications of creating a chitosan surface that can be implemented in hospital and health care settings.