| dc.description.abstract | Nanoparticles and nanostructured materials have attracted great interest for
treating bacteria as a potential chemical-free method. This research carries out
experiments to evaluate the antibacterial properties of nanoparticles and nanostructured
materials. The commonly found bacterium Staphylococcus aureus was chosen for this
study because of the extensive research and development surrounding the bacteria, its
importance in human disease, and its extensive antibiotic resistance, particularly with
methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains. The specific strain S. aureus Xen36 was
selected due to its property of bioluminescence, which allows for real-time monitoring of
the bacterial loads. Materials investigated were fabricated as particles and deposited on
metallic substrates. Substrate materials of copper, aluminum, steel, and nickel were chosen
because of their wide applications in manufacturing, particularly in the oil/gas industry.
Results involving nanoparticles showed that Vv2Ov5 nanoparticles have potential
antibacterial effects on S. aureus. They are effective in reducing the bacterial load after 2
and 24-hours of treatment. A decrease in bacterial load of 92.4%, 96.7%, and 94.3% was
observed when cultured with the Vv2Ov5 nanoparticles at a concentration of 500ug/mL for
24 hours (NP concentration and incubation time), 1mg/mL for 2 hours, and 1mg/mL for
24 hours, respectively.
Results involving nanostructured materials, i.e., nanoparticle Vv2Ov5 grown on
nickel substrate. These materials cause a 99.1% decrease in bacterial load compared to a
control over a 24-hour period. | en |
