Abstract
Advanced membranes that enable ultrafast water flux while demonstrating anti-biofouling characteristics can facilitate sustainable water/wastewater treatment processes. MXenes, two-dimensional (2D) metal carbides and nitrides, have attracted attention for applications in water/wastewater treatment. In this work, we reported the antibacterial properties of micrometer-thick titanium carbide (Ti3C2Tx) MXene membranes prepared by filtration on a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) support. The bactericidal properties of Ti3C2Tx modified membranes were tested against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) by bacterial growth on the membrane surface and its exposure to bacterial suspensions. The antibacterial rate of fresh Ti3C2Tx MXene membranes reaches more than 73% against B. subtilis and 67% against E. coli as compared with that of control PVDF, while aged Ti3C2Tx membrane showed over 99% growth inhibition of both bacteria under same conditions. Flow cytometry showed about 70% population of dead and compromised cells after 24 h of exposure of both bacterial strains. The damage of the cell surfaces was also revealed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis, respectively. The demonstrated antibacterial activity of MXene coated membranes against common waterborne bacteria, promotes their potential application as anti-biofouling membrane in water and wastewater treatment processes.
Highlights
Bactericidal nanomaterials are widely explored effectively in public health applications including medical devices, water treatment, food packaging, and in the textile industries[1,2,3]
Colloidal Ti3C2Tx showed high antibacterial properties against E. coli and B. subtilis, as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) coupled with lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay indicated the damage to the bacterium cellular membrane[5]
In an effort to advocate the potential of 2D metal carbides for use in water purification membranes, we investigate for the first time the antibacterial activity of Ti3C2Tx modified membranes by taking into consideration the bactericidal activity of the colloidal Ti3C2Tx shown in our earlier study[5]
Summary
Bactericidal nanomaterials are widely explored effectively in public health applications including medical devices, water treatment, food packaging, and in the textile industries[1,2,3]. MXenes combine a hydrophilic surface, metallic conductivity, and a high capacity for ion adsorption, which was proven by the reversible intercalation of cations (e.g., Li+, Na+, K+, Mg2+, etc.). These properties render MXene a promising candidate for environmental remediation applications[21]. The antimicrobial activities of various membranes were investigated against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria by filtering certain concentrations of bacterial suspensions through the PVDF and PVDF-supported Ti3C2Tx membranes. The latter were fabricated by vacuum-assisted filtration (VAF) and their ability to inhibit E. coli and B. subtilis bacterial growth was studied. The interactions between MXene 2D nanosheets and bacteria have been investigated by SEM, AFM, and flow cytometery
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