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Titanium industrial residues surface modification towards its reuse as antimicrobial surfaces
Camelia Ungureanu1, Laura Barbulescu1,2, Cristina Dumitriu1
1General Chemistry Department, Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 1-7 Polizu, 011061, Bucharest, Romania.
Environmental Science and Pollution Research International
|March 18, 2021
Summary
This study repurposed titanium waste into antibacterial surfaces using carotenoids. Nanostructured titanium dioxide surfaces showed significant bacterial growth inhibition, offering a sustainable solution.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Biotechnology
- Surface Chemistry
Background:
- Titanium production generates waste, posing disposal challenges.
- Developing sustainable materials with inherent antibacterial properties is crucial.
- Valorizing industrial waste into functional materials offers economic and environmental benefits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential of titanium ingot residue as a substrate for antibacterial surfaces.
- To create a nanostructured titanium dioxide surface with enhanced properties through specific treatments.
- To evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of carotenoid-modified titanium surfaces against Gram-negative bacteria.
Main Methods:
- Titanium scrap was processed into disks and subjected to anodization and annealing.
- The resulting nanostructured titanium dioxide surface was characterized.
- Surfaces were coated with natural carotenoids (torularhodin and β-carotene).
- Bactericidal tests were conducted against Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli.
Main Results:
- A nanostructured titanium dioxide surface with photocatalytic and antibacterial properties was successfully fabricated from titanium residue.
- Impurities in the titanium scrap (V, Al, N) improved the surface's electrochemical and semiconductor characteristics.
- Torularhodin-coated surfaces exhibited the highest antibacterial effect, inhibiting bacterial growth by approximately 60% against both tested strains.
- β-carotene also demonstrated antibacterial properties, though less potent than torularhodin.
Conclusions:
- Low-cost titanium waste can be effectively repurposed into functional antibacterial surfaces.
- Carotenoid modification, particularly with torularhodin, significantly enhances the antibacterial efficacy of nanostructured titanium dioxide.
- This approach presents a sustainable and cost-effective method for waste valorization and the development of novel antimicrobial materials.
