Abstract

TiO2 (Titanium dioxide) nanofilms are perspective nanomaterials for the purification of air and surfaces in the hospitals, which can reduce number of nosocomial infections. The bactericidal activity of the TiO2 nanofilms induced by ultraviolet (UV) for a large number of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria was investigated. The statistically significant decrease in viability of majority strains of bacteria was shown after incubation (15 min) on the TiO2 nanofilms under UV (wavelength – 365 nm). Three strains (Proteus vulgaris 1212, Klebsiella pneumoniae 527 and Klebsiella oxytoca 525) do not lose the viability under these conditions. The incubation on the surface of TiO2 nanofilms under UV during one hour leads to almost complete suppression of the bacteria viability. The dynamics of the viability reduce of the bacteria which are most often cause of nosocomial infections was studied. The leading role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the reduction of viability was demonstrated through the study of photocatalytic oxidation reactions of epinephrine on the TiO2 nanofilm surface.

Key words: bactericidal activity, TiO2 nanofilms