Photocatalysts for reagentless disinfection on the basis of titanium dioxide films modified by silver nanoparticles

Abstract

Using the test cultures of Pseudomonas fluorescens and Lactococcus lactis bacteria, photoinduced pathophysiological properties of film titanium dioxide photocatalysts modified by silver nanoparticles are investigated. It is shown that the deposition of silver leads to an increase in the adsorption of microorganisms from the solution and to a rise in the efficiency of photogeneration of hydroxyl radicals and superoxide ions, which provides the attainment of a high level of antimicrobial activity. In particular, the survival rate of P. fluorescens eubacteria under the UV irradiation in contact with the TiO2/Ag catalyst decreases by a factor of more than 70 compared with irradiation in the absence of the photocatalyst. The developed photocatalysts allow the manifold increase in the efficiency of the disinfection of aqueous media with the use of ultraviolet.