In this work, an alternative strategy for decorating nanotubes with Ag, that avoids the multi-steps of nanotube fabrication before externally loading with Ag salts, preserves the nanostructural morphology that has been shown to facilitate cellular integration and importantly exhibits antibacterial properties with a very low amount of Ag was demonstrated. This facile method involves the electrochemical anodization of zirconium/silver alloy (Zircaloy). A custom-made Zircaloy consisting of Silver metal (~1wt%) was homogeneously mixed with zirconium metal and anodized at constant voltage conditions in a fluoride-containing electrolyte to obtain a composite material with zirconia nanotubes embedded with silver oxide and Ag NP at the surface and along the length of the nanostructure. These hybrid nanostructures were characterized via SEM, XPS, and Tof -SIMS and tested for their antibacterial properties.