Bacteria accumulate copper ions and inhibit oxide formation on copper surface during antibacterial efficiency test

Jiaqi Luo; Christina Hein; Jaafar Ghanbaja; Jean-François Pierson; Frank Mücklich

doi:10.1016/j.micron.2019.102759

Bacteria accumulate copper ions and inhibit oxide formation on copper surface during antibacterial efficiency test

Micron. 2019 Dec:127:102759. doi: 10.1016/j.micron.2019.102759. Epub 2019 Sep 24.

Authors

Jiaqi Luo¹, Christina Hein², Jaafar Ghanbaja³, Jean-François Pierson³, Frank Mücklich⁴

Affiliations

¹ Functional Materials, Saarland University, Germany; Université de Lorraine, CNRS, IJL, F-54000, Nancy, France. Electronic address: jiaqi.luo@uni-saarland.de.
² Inorganic Solid State Chemistry, Saarland University, Germany.
³ Université de Lorraine, CNRS, IJL, F-54000, Nancy, France.
⁴ Functional Materials, Saarland University, Germany.

PMID: 31585250
DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2019.102759

Abstract

Copper surface after antibacterial test against E. coli was examined in the aspect of corrosion. Results from scanning electron microscope (SEM), grazing incidence X-ray diffractometer (GIXRD) and Raman spectroscopy together confirmed less oxidation on copper surface with the presence of E. coli. The inhibition of the cuprous oxide (Cu₂O) layer instead ensured the continuous exposure of copper surface, letting localised corrosion attacks observable and causing a stronger release of copper ions. These phenomena are attributed to the fact that E. coli act as ions reservoirs since high amount of copper accumulation were found by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS).

Keywords: Copper; E. coli; EDS; ICP-MS; Ions; Oxidation.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Copper / chemistry*
Corrosion
Escherichia coli / metabolism*
Microscopy, Electron, Scanning Transmission
Oxidation-Reduction
Surface Properties

Substances

Copper
cuprous oxide