Antibacterial Activity of ZnSe, ZnSe-TiO2 and TiO2 Particles Tailored by Lysozyme Loading and Visible Light Irradiation

Crina Anastasescu; Simona Neagu; Silviu Preda; Daniela Culita; Mihaela Stancu; Cristian Banciu; Cornel Munteanu; Veronica Bratan; Jose Maria Calderon-Moreno; Razvan State; Mihai Anastasescu; Madalin Enache; Ioan Balint; Maria Zaharescu

doi:10.3390/antiox12030691

Antibacterial Activity of ZnSe, ZnSe-TiO₂ and TiO₂ Particles Tailored by Lysozyme Loading and Visible Light Irradiation

Antioxidants (Basel). 2023 Mar 10;12(3):691. doi: 10.3390/antiox12030691.

Affiliations

¹ "Ilie Murgulescu" Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Romanian Academy, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania.
² Institute of Biology of Romanian Academy, 296 Splaiul Independenţei, 060031 Bucharest, Romania.

Abstract

ZnSe, ZnSe-TiO₂ microspheres and nanostructured TiO₂ obtained by hydrothermal and sol-gel methods were tested against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and Micrococcus lysodeikticus ATCC 4698 before and after lysozyme (Lys) loading. Morphological characterization of inorganic matrices and hybrid organic-inorganic complexes were performed by microscopy techniques (SEM, AFM and Dark Field Hyperspectral Microscopy). Light absorption properties of ZnSe, ZnSe-TiO₂ and TiO₂ powders were assessed by UV-visible spectroscopy and their ability to generate reactive oxygen species (•OH and O₂^•-) under visible light irradiation was investigated. Antibacterial activity of ZnSe, ZnSe-TiO₂, TiO₂, Lys/ZnSe, Lys/ZnSe-TiO₂ and Lys/TiO₂ samples under exposure to visible light irradiation (λ > 420 nm) was tested against Staphylococcus aureus and Micrococcus lysodeikticus and correlated with ROS photogeneration.

Keywords: TiO2; ZnSe; ZnSe-TiO2; antibacterial activity in dark and visible light assisted; hybrid organic–inorganic; light absorption properties; reactive oxygen species generation.

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.