Toxicity assessment of SiC nanofibers and nanorods against bacteria

Mateusz Szala; Andrzej Borkowski

doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2013.10.030

Toxicity assessment of SiC nanofibers and nanorods against bacteria

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2014 Feb:100:287-93. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2013.10.030. Epub 2013 Nov 27.

Authors

Mateusz Szala¹, Andrzej Borkowski²

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Advanced Technologies and Chemistry, Military University of Technology, Kaliskiego 2, 00-908 Warsaw, Poland. Electronic address: mszala@wat.edu.pl.
² Faculty of Geology, University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 93, 02-089 Warsaw, Poland.

PMID: 24290890
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2013.10.030

Abstract

In the present study, evidence of the antibacterial effects of silicon carbide (SiC) nanofibers (NFSiC) and nanorods (NRSiC) obtained by combustion synthesis has been presented. It has been shown that the examined bacteria, Pseudomonas putida, could bind to the surface of the investigated SiC nanostructures. The results of respiration measurements, dehydrogenase activity measurements, and evaluation of viable bacteria after incubation with NFSiC and NRSiC demonstrated that the nanostructures of SiC affect the growth and activity of the bacteria examined. The direct count of bacteria stained with propidium iodide after incubation with SiC nanostructures revealed that the loss of cell membrane integrity could be one of the main effects leading to the death of the bacteria.

Keywords: Bacteria; Nanofibers; Nanorods; Silicon carbide; Toxicity.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Carbon Compounds, Inorganic / toxicity*
Cell Membrane / drug effects
Enzyme Activation / drug effects
Microbial Viability / drug effects
Nanofibers / toxicity*
Nanotubes / toxicity*
Pseudomonas putida / drug effects*
Pseudomonas putida / enzymology
Silicon Compounds / toxicity*

Substances

Carbon Compounds, Inorganic
Silicon Compounds
silicon carbide