Investigation into the Antibacterial Activity of Mesoporous Zirconium Phosphate against Beer-Spoilage Organisms

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the antimicrobial effect of mesoporous zirconium phosphate (M-Zrp), which is an inorganic nano material with apertures in the range of 2–50 nm. It could be used as an antibacterial agent against beer-spoilage organisms. The template synthesis of M-Zrp is an important method of producing M-Zrp. Biological templates have many advantages, including less toxicity, and are more friendly to the environment. M-Zrps were produced by fresh yeast through biomimetic synthesis. The antibacterial activity of M-Zrp prepared from the yeast biotemplate was investigated using the inhibition zone test. The impacts of preparation process, treatment time, bacteria concentration, and sample structure on the antibacterial property were examined. The results showed that M-Zrp showed bacteriostatic activity against Saccharomyces diastaticus, Candida albicans, Pediococcus damnosus, and Escherichia coli but showed no effect on Lactobacillus brevis or Pectinatus cerevisiiphilus. The mean diameters of the inhibition zones were 11.67, 12.37, 8.64, and 10.36 mm. The antibacterial activity increased as the concentration of M-Zrp increased and the particle size decreased. Within a certain range, the effect was enhanced with the prolongation of the treatment time. Using the spectroscopic method, the minimal inhibitory concentrations were determined to be 10 mg/L for S. diastaticus, C. albicans, and E. coli, and 25 mg/L for P. damnosus. The morphology of S. diastaticus before and after M-Zrp treatment was observed under a polarization microscope. The presence of M-Zrp first damaged the membrane of the bacterium and subsequently integrated into the cell wall and interacted with the internal components, resulting in the leakage of intracellular contents and, eventually, the death of the bacteria. Our findings suggested that M-Zrp exhibited an effective antimicrobial effect and the potential as an antibacterial coating or additive for the food and beverage industry.