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Influence of Surface Properties and Microbial Growth Media on Antibacterial Action of ZnO
Johnson, Dustin Reeks, John M. Caron, Alexander Tzoka, Iakovos Ali, Iman McGillivray, Shauna M. Strzhemechny, Yuri M.
Johnson, Dustin
Reeks, John M.
Caron, Alexander
Tzoka, Iakovos
Ali, Iman
McGillivray, Shauna M.
Strzhemechny, Yuri M.
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MDPI AG
Date
2022
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Abstract
Nano- and microscale ZnO demonstrate robust antibacterial action, although the driving mechanisms remain undetermined. In this study for commercial ZnO nano-powders and home-grown ZnO microparticles of varying morphologies we probe the response to bacterial growth media in isolation and with Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. ZnO microparticles are synthesized via a controllable hydrothermal method and subjected to biological assays with varying microbial environments. Changes in the optoelectronic, structural and chemical properties of these crystals before and after such exposure are characterized utilizing temperature-dependent photoluminescence spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. This is done to evaluate the impact of surface-surface interactions in antibacterial assays and the role ZnO surface and morphological properties play in these processes. In our experiments various bacterial environments are employed to elucidate the effects of media interactions on the cytotoxic efficacy of ZnO. In particular, minimum inhibitory concentration assays with Staphylococcus aureus reveal that microscale particles exhibit antibacterial efficacy comparable to that of the nano-powders, indicating that intra-bacterial internalization is not necessary for antimicrobial action. In our studies we determine that the nature of structural and optoelectronic changes in ZnO depends on both the media type and the presence (or absence) of bacteria in these media. Further evidence is provided to support significant cytotoxicity in the absence of particle internalization in bacteria, further highlighting the role of surface and media interactions in this process.
Contents
Subject
ZnO
antibacterial
bacterial growth media
Staphylococcus aureus
surfaces
antibacterial
bacterial growth media
Staphylococcus aureus
surfaces
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Description
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Physics and Astronomy
Biology
Biology