Antimicrobial potential of ozone in an ultrasonic cleaning system against Staphylococcus aureus

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial potential of ozone applied to 3 different solutions in an ultrasonic cleaning system against Staphylococcus aureus. A total of 120 mL of S. aureus were mixed in 6 L of the experimental solutions (sterile distilled water, vinegar and sterile distilled water + Endozime AWpluz) used in a ultrasonic cleaning system (UCS). Ozone was produced by an electric discharge through a current of oxygen and bubbling with flow rate at 7 g/h ozone (1.2%) into the microbial suspensions. Ten mL of each experimental suspension were collected and 5 fold dilutions were made in 9 mL of BHI and incubated at 37 degrees C for 48 h. Bacterial growth was evaluated by turbidity of the culture medium. At the same time, 1 mL of bacterial samples was collected and inoculated in BHIA plates. After incubation at 37 degrees C for 48 h, the number of colony forming units (cfu) per mL on BHIA surface was counted. In dilution test in BHI tubes and in BHIA plates (cfu/mL), bacterial growth was not observed in any of the experimental solutions when ozone was added. Under the tested conditions, it may be concluded that the addition of ozone to a ultrasonic cleaning system containing different experimental solutions resulted in antibacterial activity against S. aureus.