Antibacterial rGO-CuO-Ag film with contact- and release-based inactivation properties

Abayomi Babatunde Alayande; Chang-Min Kim; Johannes S Vrouwenvelder; In S Kim

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2020.110130

Antibacterial rGO-CuO-Ag film with contact- and release-based inactivation properties

Environ Res. 2020 Dec:191:110130. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110130. Epub 2020 Aug 30.

Authors

Abayomi Babatunde Alayande¹, Chang-Min Kim², Johannes S Vrouwenvelder³, In S Kim⁴

Affiliations

¹ Global Desalination Research Center (GDRC), School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), 123 Cheomdangwagi-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju, 61005, Republic of Korea; School of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea.
² Global Desalination Research Center (GDRC), School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), 123 Cheomdangwagi-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju, 61005, Republic of Korea.
³ King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ Global Desalination Research Center (GDRC), School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), 123 Cheomdangwagi-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju, 61005, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: iskim@gist.ac.kr.

PMID: 32871149
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110130

Abstract

To reduce the high operational costs of water treatment because of membrane biofouling, next-generation materials are being developed to counteract microbial growth. These modern anti-biofouling strategies are based on new membrane materials or membrane surface modifications. In this study, antimicrobial films comprising rGO, rGO-CuO, rGO-Ag, and rGO-CuO-Ag were synthesized, evaluated, and tested for potential biofouling control using Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 as the model bacterium. The combined rGO-CuO-Ag film displayed enhanced reduction (10-log reduction) in biofouling in comparison to the rGO film (control), followed by the rGO-Ag film (8-log reduction) and rGO-CuO film (0-log reduction). This demonstrated that the use of mixed antimicrobial agents is more effective in reducing biofouling than that of a single agent. The rGO-CuO-Ag film exhibited consistent, controlled, and moderate release of silver (Ag) ions. The release of Ag ions produced a long-lasting antimicrobial effect. These results underscore the potential applications of combined antimicrobial surface-based agents in practice and further research.

Keywords: Antimicrobial; Biofilm control; Reduced graphene oxide composite; Silver ion release.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
Copper
Graphite
Nanocomposites*
Silver* / pharmacology

Substances

Anti-Bacterial Agents
graphene oxide
Silver
Graphite
Copper
cupric oxide